OAR-BUFF: A full body exercise system that produces greater benefits than weights or gym machines and doesn&#39;t use dangerous potential or kinetic energy

ABSTRACT

A unique full body exercise experience is provided by embodiments that produce user controlled resistance that can be assigned verbally, remotely by electronic means or manually. The embodiments can sense hand and foot location and then automatically change the resistance according to those locations, or by spoken word or programmed time. Exercise resistance can be offered in the three dimensions of space. Muscle groups can be exercised in complementary fashion with movements that fully stress the muscles. Two-movement exercises can be repeated endlessly or complicated ensembles in 3-space can be strung together, all with unlimited, user-defined changes of resistance. Every movement that is possible to perform with free weights or universal gyms is available to the user. Movements that are impossible with weights are easily performed with great safety. There has never been anything like this.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—PRIOR ART

It has always been that strength training brought advantages to physicalcompetition, both in strength and stamina. It is known that exercisingin complementary fashion, stressing opposing muscle groups insuccession, yields great benefit.

Within a person's home there may be various kinds of equipment toaccomplish desired ends. Within a gymnasium there certainly are.

To perform exercise there are heavy ropes that are waved, elastic bandsand sets of springs with hand grips, free weights such as barbells anddumbbells and kettle bells. There are treadmills and bikes and exercisemachines that utilize elliptical foot movement. Some store rotationalkinetic energy in a flywheel and some have handles to be moved in planarfashion for upper body exercise. There are stair steppers, body weightincline machines, and also large systems that use multiple weights andpulleys or flexure elements such as springy bows, and more. All of thesestrengthen, tone and provide greater stamina. And all have drawbacks.

(a) Serious injuries can occur. Free weights can slip out of grasp andbe dropped on the feet or legs—or more seriously—on the head or acrossthe throat. An attempted movement, such as a bench press, may not beable to be completed because of tiredness, and the weight bar may comedown without sufficient control, causing great harm. Similarly, abarbell may come down uncontrollably during a standing press because ofsimple loss of balance, tiredness, even vertigo, causing severe injury.

Strains of muscles or ligaments are a common injury with weights. Therotator cup area of the shoulder is especially prone to strains, as arethe knee and back areas. Especially when attempting more weight than canbe properly handled, strains to these areas can easily occur.

Injuries aren't limited to the use of free weights. Treadmills are easyto stumble on and fall from. Their belts can slip, causing a loss ofbalance or a wrenching of the back. Sadly, it is has happened thatpeople have fallen on the tread, brought to the rear and wedged againstfurniture, and if not able to get up or off, receive a severe frictionburn.

While standing in an exercise machine of the circular or elliptical typeit is possible to turn or jam an ankle or knee, even to fall off of themachine while it is in motion. At least one popular exercise system usesa set of elongated springy elements anchored at one end to provideresistance to movement. The spring arrangement stores kinetic energyfrom the user that could be returned at the user in a direct line veryrapidly and possibly with devastating results if grip were to be lost.

(b) Convenience is an issue. A good set of free weights can amount toseveral hundred pounds of plates and bars. Changing the plates oftenduring an exercise routine can be laborious and time consuming. And ifweight plates and bars are permanently dedicated for individual exerciseresistance, several of these set-ups are needed for a complete workout.The necessary amount of such equipment can be extensive. And all of thatweighs a lot, is difficult to relocate, and requires quite a bit offloor space for usage and storage. A further inconvenience with freeweights involves the common sense fact that safety dictates that aspotter—another person, or even two—be used when attempting somemovements.

The machines and systems, such as treadmills and circular and ellipticalcyclers, are substantially stationary on the floor, often difficult tomove because of their large bulk and great weight. And the “universal”systems for exercising the whole body can be very difficult for oneperson, even two, to relocate within a room. These systems can all havetransportation costs involved at purchase, and should they be moved adistance after being installed, additional costs of dismantling andreassembly can occur.

With most of these systems only one person at a time is able to usethem. For instance it is impossible for two people to use an ellipticalcycler at one time, and as a practical matter a treadmill. And therequired floor space and the portion of room volume taken up by thesepermanently stationed systems can be significant.

(c) Cost is an issue. Many exercise systems cost more than a thousanddollars, into the multiple thousands of dollars. The author is aware ofone in-home system retailing for fourteen thousand dollars.

(d) Lack of versatility is an issue. Generally popular machines, such ascircular and elliptical cyclers and treadmills, are dedicated toexercising the muscles of specific parts of the lower body. They don'texercise muscle groups outside of their narrowly dedicated purview.

To improve versatility and help maintain user balance manufacturers haveadded an upper body device: poles to be gripped by the hands, that moveforward and backward while the machine is powered by the lower body.These poles don't help to build much strength, since they are littlemore than moving resting places for the arms. Most are limited to aplanar direction of movement. These systems don't go beyond the benefitsof aerobics.

Free weights and “plate loaded” universal systems offer perhaps thegreatest ability to build strength and muscle. But in the main theydon't provide overall aerobic development. In their ability to producemuscle they are generally limited to motion in a plane, and many plateloaded machines are devoted to exercising one muscle group only. Ofcourse dumbbells can easily be moved outside of a plane while being usedif they are light enough for the user, but they must be used carefullyin doing so, even at lighter weights. It isn't difficult to strain ortear something while using dumbbells in an extra-planar movement, oreven to hit oneself with them.

Among other types there are abdomen developing equipment that utilizemid-body lateral twisting, and equipment for doing partial sit-ups, or“crunchier”. These are quite popular and not very expensive. They tooare limited to the bounds of their dedication, specifically targetingthe torso. Rowing machines develop some of the back, shoulder, arm andchest areas and can be used to partially develop the legs. An inclinedsliding apparatus, using body weight as the resistive force, isrelatively simple and inexpensive, yet doesn't develop the body ascompletely as free weights. Equipment types that utilize one or morepneumatic cylinders exist. These are most often limited to offeringresistance along a straight line or even an arc held to within a plane.And typically each exercise machine is dedicated to one type ofmovement.

(e) A further drawback is experienced with equipment which utilizescables attached to anchored, cantilevered springs, or to weights. Theproblem is that in performing extension kinds of movements, such asbench presses or military presses, or even curls, the arms can shake inovercoming the resistance. This is because the connecting cables allowthe hand grips to move laterally very easily at right angles to theresistive force, and the muscles naturally try to correct, but inactuality they continuously over-correct in each direction. Theshakiness, which can be annoying to the user, can with difficulty bebrought under control in order to provide a relatively smooth extensionthrough a movement.

(f) Complementary movements create faster results, both in musclebuilding, body toning and stamina enhancement. Free weights and plateloaded systems don't work the full body in complementary fashion, andneither does anything else. In general they offer resistance only alonga line of action or else along a planar arc, even a circle or ellipse.These don't allow for a complete stressing of the muscles in more thanone resistance orientation when doing a series of movements. In order toideally work muscle groups in complementary fashion a user's energyinput to the equipment should alternate between at least two opposeddirections in sequence, for instance a push and then a pull.

(g) None of the above systems can work the muscles in rapid circuitfashion with an instantaneous and almost infinite variety of differentmovements that are user defined and that offer variable, controllableresistance along any chosen path of movement, including truethree-dimensional orientations of applied resistance.

PRIOR ART

[PA01] The following patents and applications, listed in paragraphs[PA02 through PA23], are given as Prior Art:

[PA02] U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,701 to Good (April 1974) concerns a shaftpermanently oriented vertically the way an ice augur is used. It ismechanically held in a base and can be rotated only horizontally, usinghandles that are at a right angle to the shaft. It is an upper bodydevice only that operates in one horizontal plane at a time and isadjusted for resistance manually.

[PA03] U.S. Pat. No. 8,936,538 to Marcantonio (January 2015): The twoarms of the device are restricted by the changeable orientation of theirpivots to rotation within two sagittal or else two intersecting verticalplanes. Though an additional movement of the handles along thelengthwise axes of the arms, with the handles under bi-directionaltension, is also a feature, this motion results in a radial displacementwithin the two planes mentioned, and does not aid in bringing aboutmovement beyond the restriction of those two planes. The device cantherefore be thought of as longitudinal-planar. Resistance is manuallyadjusted only. The Marcantonio device does not exercise the legs,whereas the present device does.

[PA04] U.S. Pat. No. 8,777,817 to Finestein (July 2014) uses pneumaticcylinders and is restricted to rotation in two predetermined sagittalplanes and also provides longitudinal motion within those planes alongthe major axes of telescoping arms secured to a frame, similar to theMarcantonio patent above. The device does offer exercise for the legs,restricted to the two sagittal planes.

[PA05] U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,874 to Wilkinson (September 1998) offersexercise by mounting two arms at the sides of a treadmill. The arms arelimited to rotation within two sagittal planes. Their resistances aremanually adjusted.

[PA06] U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,378 to Bastyr (August 2004) represents aportable bi-directional device that rotates ostensibly within any singleplane, according to how the entire device is oriented in space. It isformed of two arms connected together at a pivot. The pivot restrictsrotation to the plane of usage, but the device, if allowed to changespatial orientation under use, will describe movement in more than aplane. Its resistance is manually adjusted.

[PA07] U.S. Pat. No. 7,125,365 to Kreitzman (October 2006): The “MovingStick” device described in this patent is limited in motion compared tothe present device in that The Moving Stick is confined to describing asingle planar path, so is not a three-dimensional device. This isbecause the cylindrical pin, the Stick's rotation pivot which passesthrough the Stick's lower region, is permanently attached to astationary wall(s). And too, the resistances claimed are those of eithera flux from a permanent magnet brake, pneumatic cylinders or of frictionoriginating through mechanical means. They are neither a friction causedby surface-to-surface contact through magnetic or vacuum attraction, aswith the present device, nor are the resistances either instantly orautomatically adjustable as with the present device.

[PA08] Application 20070184941 of Krietzman (August 2007) claims a“weighted sphere” or a “volumetric element” able to be slid along avertically oriented “stick”, producing resistance. The stick isterminated at its lower end in a “rockable support” (such as a ball-likestructure) that is laid into a “rocking guide” (a socket). The slidableweighted sphere or a volumetric element provide adjustable inertialresistance to movement of the stick which can describe an inverted coneas it is being moved. The present embodiments do not utilize an inertialelement along a stick-like structure to produce resistance.

[PA09] U.S. Pat. No. 9,011,301 to Balandis (April 2015) allows for theutilization of various central shaft rotation devices in generatingresistive force to a user: pneumatic disk being the primary, butparticle brake, electric clutch, etc. are mentioned. These devices allproduce a force contrary to the user's attempted rotational movement, sothat the Balandis device's two parallel arms running from the centralshaft mentioned above to a bar that is the user's physical interface,describe parallel circular planar segments when rotated. Therefore asfar as concern the user's hands, this is a planar device.

[PA10] Voice control is discussed but not claimed in the Balandispatent. Voice control is specifically claimed and described in detail inthe present device's patent application, in addition to gyroscopes andaccelerometers.

[PA11] U.S. Pat. No. 8,066,621 to Carlson (November 2011) is a largedevice that uses sliding elements that follow arcuate tracks. The tracksresemble semi-hoops that are pivoted at their two ends at a base so thatthey could be oriented from the straight up vertical plane to the laiddown horizontal. The user pushes or pulls the sliding element along thetrack typically in a two dimensional motion, but ostensibly, if thearcuate track were light enough and would be allowed to rotate freely,the user could describe a three dimensional path in moving the slider.The freedom of movement in three-dimensional space however, doesn'tequal that of the present device, so that some exercises comparable tothe use of free weights are impossible with the Carlson device, yetthose exercises are highly duplicable with the device of the presentinvention.

[PA12] U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,727 to Dehan (February 1981) involves a ballat the bottom end of a shaft mechanically held in place in a base bybeing friction-clamped around its horizontal equator. The mechanicalclamping arrangement, necessarily gripping from both above and below theball's horizontal equator, limits the amount of shaft rotation toapproximately 120 degrees in any vertical plane when an assumed shaftthickness is factored in. Contrastingly, the sphere of the presentinvention, being pulled by magnetism (or vacuum) toward its matedcurvature base, only needs to be in contact with its base from onedirection, that is, only from below the equator for instance. Thepresent device's moderate amount of magnet-to-sphere contact, all belowthe horizontal equator, allows the oar (shaft) to be rotated at least240 degrees through any user-arbitrary vertical plane, in combinationwith a full 360 degree horizontal sweep, so that it is truly3-dimensional. Resistance with Dehan's device is manually adjusted.

[PA13] U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,407 to Skinner (July 1994) describes severalembodiments that use elastomeric spheres as though ball bearings. In onea larger hard sphere is resting on smaller spheres in a base, with thelarger sphere clamped on both sides of its horizontal equator bystructures, at least one of which has smaller elastomeric spheresinstalled to be in contact with the larger sphere. A bar attached to thelarger sphere transmits the user's urging to that clamped larger sphere.Clamping pressure is manually adjusted to vary the resistance.

[PA14] U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,881 to Roraff (July 2009): This device, withits installed springs, is not easily adjustable as to resistance. Itssprings automatically cause the return of the shaft to the vertical anddo not allow for the user to apply a positive force to restore the shaftto its vertical rest position. Therefore muscles are not exercised incomplementary fashion as with the present device. And the springs could,if powerful enough, cause injury by returning kinetic energy should theshaft not be kept under control by the user. The Roraff device shares alack of travel with the Dehan device (U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,727) becauseof the need to grip the rotatable friction-producing ball on both sidesof a horizontal equator.

[PA15] U.S. Pat. No. 9,011,291 to Birrell (April 2015) is an assemblageof belts, pulleys, shafts, rotating disks, arms, linkages and aresistance provider, enabling a user to move the device's interfaces inthree-dimensional mode in order to graphically follow the outline of or“fill in” one or more visual tracings, ostensibly provided on a monitorscreen.

[PA16] In U.S. Pat. No. 10,039,682 (Aug. 7, 2018); U.S. Pat. No.8,915,871 (Dec. 23, 2014) U.S. Pat. No. 8,753,296 (Jun. 17, 2014) andU.S. Pat. No. 8,545,420 (Oct. 1, 2013) issued to Einav et al, a brakingforce applied to a ball can be provided in several ways: By a ring,either solid or inflatable, that encircles the ball near its equator,with the ring being brought into contact with the ball at selectabledistances from the ball's equator to cause a corresponding clampingfriction; By the ring being made of ‘shape memory alloys’ that undergoheating or cooling, thus clamping expansion or de-clamping contraction;An orthogonally oriented braking substance that is ‘pressed onto thesurface’ of the ball.

These patents involve expensive medical devices, composed of pluralitiesof motors, drive wheels, gears, belts, brakes, sensors and various othercomponents. In the main the devices are robots, “capable of applying amotive force” to a patient. They are also able to be controlledpredeterminedly or by real time input from remote personnel, so cautionis to be used that a device doesn't force a patient into movement thatthe patient dangerously resists or isn't medically ready to enter.

The present author's embodiments, being passive, cannot apply a motiveforce against a user to move a body part as can the Einav devices. Sincethe present embodiments don't have the potential of being pro-active,they will not urge a user to enter or remain in a movement that the userdoes not intend, therefore cannot of themselves bring on that type ofinjury.

[PA17] Application 20180272185 by Barber, published on Sep. 27, 2018,concerns a hand—wrist—forearm therapeutic device that resembles amotorcycle's handlebar system. Two sockets are oppositely oriented andco-linear at the center of the system. The sockets each receive a ballthat will rotate under the user's urging. Rotatable lever and cableassemblies, attached to springs, and resembling motorcycle handbrakes,are attached to handles that each have an attached ball that mates toone of the two receiving sockets. Use of the levers will temporarilybring the clamping pressure against the balls inside the sockets towardzero. Mechanical adjustment by hand is provided to vary the continuousclamping pressure within each socket upon its inserted ball. Either eachmanual adjustment mechanism encroaches upon its respective ball, orcauses its socket to deform, thus varying the continuous resistance feltby the user.

[PA18] Application 20180214740 of Aug. 2, 2018, by Horen, is of atherapeutic device that utilizes adjustable mechanical means to impartfriction to ball and socket arrangements by way of causing the socketsto compress about the balls.

[PA19] Application 20110287907 of May 17, 2010, and its correspondingU.S. Pat. No. 8,636,630, issued to Morris, use mechanical means toprovide clamping pressure about the equator of a ball.

[PA20] Application 20110251032 of Oct. 13, 2011 and its resultant U.S.Pat. No. 8,986,175 issued to Batiste et al use a manually adjustedfriction pad to produce friction upon the inner wall of a sphericalsocket that holds a ball.

[PA21] Published application 20110028286 of Feb. 3, 3011 and theresultant U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,941 issued to Nortje, depict a purelymechanical device, a ball held between two annular rings in parallel,one on either side of the ball's equator. The rings are adjustable as totheir separation, allowing a stronger or looser grip upon the ball asdesired.

[PA22] Application 20170128765 by Garretson et al, published on May 11,2017, concerns a barbell system that uses a gyroscope/accelerometer,together with other sensing elements, in interface with a computer, forlogging the barbell's motion.

[PA23] Other patents, starting from 1925, utilize mechanically clampedspherical or cylindrical member(s) caused to rotate when an attachedelongate member is urged by the user in exercise. These are as follows:

-   U.S. Pat. No. 1,535,391 to Anderson, April 1925: “Exerciser”, uses a    clamped sphere-   U.S. Pat. No. 2,126,443 to Begley, August 1938: “Exercise Device”, a    clamped sphere-   U.S. Pat. No. 2,817,524 to Sadler, December 1957: “Orthopaedic    Exercising Device”, is a clamped sphere-   U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,311 to Mitchell, February 1969: “Resistance    Exerciser For Wrists, Arms and Upper Body”, is a clamped sphere-   U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,721 to Passera, January 1974: “Physical Training    Device”, uses clamped spheres-   U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,047 to Olsen, June 1980: “Exerciser and tension    relieving device”, uses clamped circular planes-   U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,615 to Carlson, August 1982: “Controlled    friction exercising device”, is a clamped cylinder

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, the embodiments herein claimed and described overcome theabove objections, surpassing the prior art.

(a) The present embodiments provide a safe exercise experience. Since auser's energy input is very minimally stored as potential energy, andzero kinetic energy, the embodiments can't return dangerous energy backinto the user's environment. Injury from energy being accidentallyreleased back to the user, such as can happen with weights or springs,is prevented from occurring.

Additionally, the use of the present embodiments can actually cause auser's balance to be maintained while exercising. Injuries from loss ofbalance, especially while standing, can therefore be prevented. Andfalling from or stumbling upon the present embodiments while in use isvirtually eliminated.

(b) The present embodiments provide convenience of usage. Theembodiments don't require a spotter or partner to be used, at evenmaximum resistance levels. It is even possible for two people to use thefirst of the present embodiments simultaneously and receive completeworkouts that exercise all of the muscle groups in complementaryfashion.

(c) The present embodiments provide convenience of transport. Thepresent embodiments, involving only a few components, of rather lightweight, are easy to move around a house or workout area. Further,several of the present embodiments can be loaded into and unloaded froma car and brought into a home by one person. This makes thoseembodiments ideal to be demonstrated in the homes of others, thusallowing a party plan or multi-level type of marketing.

(d) The present embodiments provide convenience of set-up and storage.The system's lightness and modularity give aid to its being put togetherquickly and easily, likewise its teardown. Its ease of storage uponteardown is enhanced by the compactness of design of its individualcomponents. This in turn allows a temporary exercise area of the home oroffice to be easily returned to its normal use, that of a living oroffice space, by either tearing the system down and storing it out ofsight, or by simply moving it to a less prominent location upon use.

(e) The present embodiments provide a non-complex, non-massivestructure, affording a purchaser a lower cost than that provided by theother types of systems that are considered full-body, complete workoutsystems.

(f) The present embodiments provide a greater number and variety ofexercise movements than any other system, including dumb bells. Almostevery muscle group of the human body that is exercisable can easily becaused to benefit with the present embodiments. All movement is highlycontrollable as to resistance offered at every point throughout eachrepetition's user-defined pathway. Resistances are both speechcontrollable and time controllable. And all movements can be undertakenin complementary fashion, enabling the continuous exercising of opposingmuscle groups. Individual exercise movements can be strung together toform a workout in all three dimensions, bringing great developmentadvantage compared to much more costly and complicated full-bodyexercise systems. As a package of features this is not possible with anyother system.

(g) The present embodiments provide a comfortable exercise experience,free of the shakiness inherent with certain kinds of cable systems.Since it doesn't exist, there is no need for the user to attempt tocontrol such shakiness.

(h) The present embodiments provide a very complete full-body workoutquickly. Exercises can be strung together in very great variety andtype, to be performed in rapid circuit fashion, including“micro-bursting”. This ability allows an extensive aerobic experience,with heavy resistances if desired.

(i) The present embodiments provide the opportunity to form the basis ofa revolution within the exercise equipment manufacturing and marketingindustry, and further, within the fitness club industry. Theseembodiments are of such radical departure and improvement over prior artthat fitness, both in-home or through a club system, will be greatlyfacilitated. Many people will be added to the numbers of fitness buffsas a result of the implementation of these embodiments.

SUMMARY

Each of the several embodiments has at least one element involved in theproduction of and at least one element acted upon by a mutuallyattractive force that is either ferromagnetism, vacuum or staticelectricity. Hybrid combinations of these forces and the elementsnecessary to undergo mutual attraction are also contemplated. The atleast two elements are held in tight contact by at least one of theforces mentioned in order to cause friction between the contact surfacesof the elements when an attempt is made to slide those surfaces inrelation to each other. Static electric attraction between elements incontact is considered for the purposes of this specification to besynonymous with the attraction caused by ferromagnetism and vacuum.

The user physically transmits force to at least one of the elements infrictional contact to cause a sliding displacement to occur, thusintroducing resistance to movement that the user overcomes. Three setsof contact surface portions are presented in the Detailed Descriptionand are claimed: Convex spherical—to—Concave spherical; Convexcylindrical—to—Concave cylindrical; Planar—to—planar. Othercross-sectional contours of contact surface portions, not presented inthe Detailed Description, are also claimed and are given in theConclusion, Ramifications and Scope.

Advantages

Thus several advantages of one or more aspects of the embodiments aregreater safety, greater convenience of use, less size and weight,car-to-home transportability, less cost in manufacture and purchase,greater versatility, no inducing of unsteadiness during exercise, andthe ability to continuously engage muscle groups in complementaryfashion. These and other advantages of one or more aspects will becomeapparent from a consideration of the ensuing description andaccompanying drawings.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

In the drawings closely related figures have the same number, butdifferent alphabetic suffixes.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are external views of one of the embodiment's pair ofelectromagnet/sphere/oar combinations for producing frictionalresistance.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are of electromagnet components that generate andtransmit the magnetic field necessary to cause friction, and thecomponents' container.

FIG. 3 is an isometric exploded view of the electromagnet, frame andshell halves of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an isometric assembled view of the components shown in FIGS. 2and 3.

FIG. 5 shows an oar with its gyro/accelerometer, attached to a sphere,with the gyro/accelerometer being along a line passing through thesphere's center of radius.

FIG. 6A is a view of the assembled first embodiment comprised of modularcomponents: platform, locking swivel base, swing arms, tower assemblies,spherical electromagnet canister assemblies, oars withgyro/accelerometers and power control module w/cabling.

FIG. 6B shows FIG. 6A, but with the interconnecting cable between towerseliminated and an internal track system (not shown) used to distributepower to both canister assemblies.

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C show the platform and the locking swivel base whichfits underneath it, with partial views of them before and after they arein contact.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show an assembled and also an exploded view of thelocking swivel assembly.

FIGS. 9A and 9B depict a tower assembly connection to a swing arm.

FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C are of a spherical canister assembly at twodifferent heights on a tower assembly, and also the canister assembly'smounting and locking components.

FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C, 12, 13A and 13B show some possible floor locationsof the tower assemblies and their related swing arm positions and oarproximities and orientations.

FIG. 14 depicts a swing arm vice system affixed to a floor plate, withthe vice system offset from the floor plate's longitudinal centerline.

FIGS. 15A, 15B and 15C show some usage of the offset vice system of FIG.14 and the related oar proximities and efficiencies of floor space use.

FIG. 16 is a programing flowchart depicting sequences to take placewithin the power control module, not including force change decisions atthe tolerance zones, nor the creation of exercises to be stored.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the force change decision process occurring atthe tolerance zones.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of the process to create and store a particularexercise.

FIGS. 19A and 19B depict a hypothetical exercise series using tolerancezones. FIG. 19B illustrates two of the zones of FIG. 19A and oarmovement in the forward direction through those zones.

FIG. 19C is a wireframe view of a typical zone showing the relationshipbetween a zone's stationary wall vectors, set-up cycle stopping pointand an oar's sweeping orientation vector approaching the zone.

FIGS. 20A and 20B are an overall view of the second embodiment and alsoan external view of one of its cylindrical magnetic canister assembliesand its proximal components, exclusive a control module.

FIGS. 21A and 21B are views of a cylindrical canister assembly mountedon a portion of an oar with a ferromagnetic surface, and also a viewwith the electromagnet's cover removed.

FIG. 22 is a partially exploded view of a cylindrical canister assembly,its gripper halves, and electromagnet positioned as though in use at aportion of the oar.

FIG. 23 is an exploded view of FIG. 22 that shows the gripper halvesseparated from the ferromagnetic oar, and with the electromagnetpositioned as though in use.

FIG. 24 is an exploded view of a modification of the second embodiment,one that uses cylindrically contoured electromagnet pole faces, and notgripper halves.

FIGS. 25, 26A and 26B are of a third embodiment, one with planarferromagnetic surfaces.

FIG. 25 is an overall external view of the planar electromagnet system,exclusive a power control module.

FIGS. 26A and 26B depict the planar electromagnet assemblies in contactwith ferromagnetic planar substrates, and also exploded views of theplanar electromagnet assembly.

FIGS. 27, 28 and 29 are of a fourth embodiment, one that uses vacuum andspherical surfaces.

FIG. 27 is an overall view of a vacuum canister assembly and its sphere.

FIG. 28 is an exploded view of the vacuum canister's components.

FIG. 29 shows the vacuum assembly partially assembled and the sphere.

FIGS. 30 and 31 are of a fifth embodiment, a hybrid that uses vacuum andmagnetic force, and spherical surfaces.

FIG. 30 is an overall view of a hybrid vacuum and electromagneticcanister assembly and sphere.

FIG. 31A is an exploded view of the hybrid canister's components.

FIG. 31B shows the hybrid canister assembly put together and ready to bevacuum sealed.

DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   100—oar tube-   102—oar-   103—lock ring-   104—sphere-   105—spherical electromagnet assembly-   106—spherical shell halves-   108—spherical canister body-   110—shell half spacing gap-   112—power cable-   114—spherically contoured electromagnet pole face-   116—electromagnet laminations-   118—hinge tangs-   120—weldments-   122—hinge pin-   124—through-bolt-   126—through-bolt nut-   128—support frame halves-   130—support frame foot-   132—mounting holes-   134—magnet windings-   136—magnet windings form-   138—small lamination edge-   140—lamination-to-frame spacing-   142—internal canister shelf-   144—bolt holes-   146—bolt-   148—access hole-   149—movement sensor cavity-   150—optical movement sensor-   151—sensor cable-   152—platform-   154—carry grips-   156—locking swivel base-   158—swing arm-   160—tower assembly-   162—spherical electromagnet canister assembly-   164—platform positioning trough-   166—trough recess-   168—swivel base protrusion-   170—upper bevel portion-   171—lower bevel portion-   172—berm bevel-   174—swivel base berm-   176—locking swivel assembly-   178—levered cam-   180—cam pin-   182—upper vice jaw-   184—upper vice jaw screw hole-   186—lower vice jaw-   188—vice platen-   190—vice platen slot-   192—swivel ring-   194—swivel ring shelf-   196—spring disk-   198—spring disk slot-   200—stirrup-   202—stirrup shank-   203—stirrup shank hole-   204—stirrup screw-   206—stirrup shank slot-   208—stirrup foot-   210—swing arm stud-   212—spring button-   214—button locking hole-   216—v-block-   218—floor plate-   220—tower-   222—canister mounting assembly-   224—canister mounting deck-   226—sliding collar-   228—sliding collar lock-   230—locking hole-   232—offset vice system-   234—offset vice system shank-   302—ferromagnetic oar-   304—cylindrical electromagnet canister assembly-   306—u-joint-   308—connecting bar-   310—platform-   312—cylindrical canister body-   314—bands-   316—electromagnet cover-   318—gripper electromagnet-   320—flat horizontal surface-   322—cover blocks-   324—cover screws-   326—cylindrically contoured electromagnet pole faces-   328—sliding gripper halves-   329—sensor port-   330—sliding gripper spacing gap-   332—sliding gripper flange-   334—sliding gripper flange slot-   336—canister body end-   338—canister body window-   340—gripper flange screws-   342—screw holes-   344—oar electromagnet-   346—oar electromagnet pole face-   348—oar electromagnet pole gap-   402—planar electromagnet assembly-   404—ferromagnetic planar surface-   406—platform-   408—outer planar electromagnet pole face-   410—inner planar electromagnet pole face-   412—magnet windings-   414—windings form-   416—planar electromagnet housing-   418—wire lead-out hole-   420—power control module-   421—gyro/accelerometer/wireless transmitter-   422—oar centerline-   500—military press-   502—lat pull down-   504—downward triceps extension-   506—standing abdominal crunchie-   508—dead lift-   510—reverse curl-   520—tolerance zone end view-   522—saved first data set-   524—saved second data set-   526—oar stopping point-   528—oar path data to be discarded-   530—tolerance zone wall vectors-   532—imaginary cone base-   534—oar stopping point vector-   600—vacuum canister assembly-   602—vacuum oar-   604—vacuum sphere-   606—vacuum canister-   608—vacuum cup-   610—vacuum cup housing-   612—vacuum line-   614—canister vacuum port-   620—channel port-   622—channel-   624—vacuum cup housing port-   626—mounting holes-   700—hybrid canister assembly-   702—hybrid oar-   704—hybrid sphere-   706—hybrid canister-   707—hybrid spherical electromagnet assembly-   708—hybrid spherical cup halves-   710—hybrid canister vacuum port-   712—electromagnet power cord-   720—evacuation gap-   722—vacuum channel network-   726—mounting holes-   728—evacuation gap plug-   730—canister well-   732—threaded mounting holes-   734—spherical magnet pole face

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Three ferromagnetic embodiments are discussed, followed by a vacuumoperated embodiment, and then a hybrid vacuum/electromagneticembodiment.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are external views of the magnetic components of a firstferromagnetic embodiment, together with an oar 102 for the user totransmit force to the embodiment.

FIG. 1A shows a convex surface portion of substantially sphericalcurvature, sphere 104, in mated contact with and resting upon twoconcave surface portions of substantially spherical curvature, sphericalshell halves 106.

The sphere 104, is constructed of a ferromagnetic material such as aniron-containing metal and is magnetically attractable to the shellhalves 106, which are constructed of a magnetically permeable(conductive) material, such as ferromagnetic, iron-containing metal.Whenever a magnetic field exists between the contact surfaces of thesphere 104, and shell halves 106 a resultant attraction occurs and aslide-resisting friction is produced.

The two concave shell halves 106, are separated from each other by ashell half spacing gap 110. The shell halves 106 are housed in anon-magnetic spherical canister body 108 such as of carbon fiber orplastic. The sphere has a removable oar 102 affixed to it by way of theoar being inserted to an oar tube 100 permanently affixed to the sphere.The oar is removably locked in place by a threaded lock ring 103 at theoar tube 100.

During use the oar 102 transmits a user's mechanical effort to overcomethe friction that exists between the sphere 104 and the spherical shellhalves 106 caused by a magnetic field pulling them together at theircontact surface portions. A power cable 112 connects an electromagnetwithin the spherical canister 108 to a power control module 420, seeFIGS. 6A and 6B. FIG. 6B uses an electrical power distribution system(not shown) inside the components to run electrical power between thetwo spherical electromagnet assemblies 162.

FIG. 1B depicts the device of FIG. 1A rotated about the vertical axis by90 degrees counterclockwise in order to better view the shell halfspacing gap 110 between the two portions of spherical shell halves 106.

FIGS. 2A and 2B depict the spherical electromagnet assembly 105. Thecomponents of the spherical electromagnet assembly 105 are held in thespherical canister body 108. These figures are a combination of face andperspective views, with FIG. 2B rotated 90 degrees about the verticalaxis from FIG. 2A. See FIGS. 3 and 4 for additional depiction.

Each of the two spherical shell halves 106 is in self-adjustablemagnetic contact at a portion of its convex side (its bottom surface)with one of two substantially spherically contoured electromagnet polefaces 114 that are concave. See FIG. 3 for further illustration of thepole faces.

These spherical pole faces 114 transmit a magnetic field to the shellhalves 106. The magnetic field is created by an electromagnet made ofelectromagnet laminations 116 and magnet windings 134. The windings arewound on a magnet windings form 136 that has the electromagnetlaminations 116 passing through it. The laminations are secured togetherat two places by through-bolts 124 and through-bolt nuts 126. The magnetwindings 134 terminate in power cable 112 and lead out through thespherical canister body 108 to the power control module 420 of FIGS. 6Aand 6B.

Each of the two spherical shell portions 106 is affixed on its convexside to a hinge tang 118 made of non-magnetic, austenitic, high nickelstainless steel, such as 316 stainless, by a non-magnetic, ferrite-freeweldment 120. A non-magnetic hinge pin 122, perhaps of austenitic 316stainless, or carbon fiber, or some other non-magnetic material, runsthrough a hole in each hinge tang 118. The hinge tangs can each rotatepartially about, and also slide slightly along, the hinge pin 122. SeeFIG. 2B. Their rotation and sliding is limited by the proximity of theshell halves 106 to the electromagnet pole faces 114. The freedom tomove slightly allows self-adjustment between the spherical shell halves106 and the spherical pole faces 114 when the device is in use.

Two support frame halves 128 (see also FIGS. 3 and 4) are drilled forinsertion of the hinge pin 122 and hold it in place. These holes throughthe frame halves 128 are of slightly smaller diameter than the holesthrough the hinge tangs 118. The ends of the hinge pin 122 are pressedto widen them upon assembly and therefore form a tight fit between thehinge pin 122 and the frame halves 128, yet not widened so much as todisallow freedom of movement of the hinge tangs 118 upon the hinge pin122.

The support frame halves 128 are placed outboard of the hinge tangs 118.The hinge pin 122, support frame halves 128 and hinge tangs 118 arelocated in the space between the two pole faces 114 of theelectromagnet. There is sufficient clearance between the ends of thehinge pin 122 and the magnet laminations 116 to prevent shorting of themagnetic circuit, which would then not allow full magnetic fieldstrength to complete the circuit through the spherical shell halves 106and the sphere 104, thus lessening the production of frictional force.Insulation could be added between the ends of the hinge pin 122 and thelaminations 116 if necessary.

There is a lamination-to-frame spacing 140 between the two support framehalves 128 and the magnet laminations 116. The clearance is alsosufficient in all directions to prevent shorting of the magneticcircuit. And insulation between the electromagnet laminations 116 andthe ends of the hinge pin 122 could be utilized if necessary. Thelamination-to-frame spacing 140 allows a certain freedom of movementthat enhances self-adjustment between the two lamination pole faces 114and the spherical shell halves 106. The windings form 136 is narrowerthan the distance between the two support frame halves 128, as shown inFIG. 2B, so that the form, which is of tight fit to the laminations 116,cannot interfere with the self-adjustment between support frame halves128, magnet laminations 116 and shell halves 106.

The electromagnet is thus both vertically and horizontally free-floatingwithin the system, albeit in limited amount, being able to move withinthe frame halves 128 along the three orthogonal axes X, Y, Z. Thisadditional self-adjustment feature further allows for maximum magneticflux to be continuously transmitted in circuit from one of the polefaces 114, through its spherical shell half 106, through a portion ofthe sphere 104, through the other shell half 106 and into the secondpole face 114. The self-adjusting lamination-to-frame spacing 140 isfurther depicted in FIG. 4.

There is an integral support frame foot 130 that extends at a rightangle from the bottom of each support frame half 128. Each support framefoot 130 is drilled and tapped with mounting holes 132. The supportframe halves 128 are mounted to the canister's internal shelf 142 atbolt holes 144, by bolts 146. These bolts can be used to mount thespherical canister 108 to the canister mounting deck 224 of FIGS. 6 and10C. There is an access hole 148 in the bottom of the canister.

As is standard in the manufacture of electric transformers, the fullbody of laminations 116 (called a stack) is of both small straightpieces of lamination and large L-shaped pieces. The area above a smalllamination edge 138 in FIG. 2B (see also FIG. 3) illustrates a smallstraight piece of lamination. Below that line of a lamination edge 138and continuing all the way to the left and up, is a large L-shapedpiece. These different pieces are necessary to assemble a completeU-shaped lamination stack 116 that has each individual 2-piece U-shapedlamination layer residing in its own individual plane.

Each individual lamination layer of the stack 116 is built up byinserting one of the L-shaped lamination pieces through the pre-woundwindings form 136, and then adding a short piece to the stack adjacentthe inserted end of the large L-shaped piece. The short piece is stoodatop the leading end of the inserted L-shaped piece as in FIG. 2B. Thisoperation is repeated, with the direction of insertion of the L-shapedpiece of each new layer alternating from side-to-side, until the entirelamination stack 116 is built up.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the electromagnet, with its laminations116 and windings 134, the support frame halves 128, hinge pin 122 andthe hinge tangs 118. The spherically contoured shell halves 106 are alsodepicted.

The spherical shell halves 106 are shown positioned above the hinge tang118 that each shell half respectively is to be permanently affixed to byweldment 120 of FIG. 2B. The electromagnet, comprised of laminationstack 116 and windings 134, inserts loosely within the support framehalves 128.

FIG. 4 depicts the assembled view of the exploded view of FIG. 3. Theshell halves 106 are depicted as though transparent. The weldments 120that secure the shell halves 106 to their respective hinge tangs 118 arealso shown. A hidden view of the near end of the hinge pin 122 is shownin relation to its protruding through the near support frame half 128and not touching the interior surface of the near laminations 116.

Note the lamination-to-frame spacing 140, which together with theclearance between the windings form 136 (FIG. 3) and the insides of theframe halves 128 (FIG. 2B), allows the electromagnet to be free floatingwithin the confines of the support frame halves 128.

The near end of the hinge pin 122 is shown in hidden view and as seen,protrudes through the near support frame half 128, stopping short of theinside of the laminations 116. Enough spacing is allowed between bothends of the hinge pin 122 and the lamination group 116 to helpfacilitate the ongoing self-adjusting movement necessary for thelamination's curved pole faces 114 to come into good magnetic contactwith the two spherical shell halves 106 in order to provide efficientmagnetic flux transmission.

FIG. 5 is a view of an oar 102 with its centerline 422 extending throughthe center of the sphere 104. A gyro/accelerometer/wireless transmitter421 shares the oar's centerline. This allows the gyro/accelerometer 421to accurately track the oar's movement during use without regard for theroll that could occur were the gyro 421 attached to the oar 102 with anoff-set mounting. This is further explained in the following twoparagraphs.

The relationship of a sphere's center to the two shell halves 106 isalways substantially the same no matter the sphere's 104 movement. Thisdoes not imply that something attached to an oar 102 is in a constantrelationship with the center of a sphere 104 even if the oar'scenterline is. If the gyro/accelerometer 421 is offset-mounted from theoar's centerline 422, so that the oar's centerline 422 doesn't passthrough the detection component within the gyro/accelerometer 421, andif the gyro 421 does not have roll detection ability, the possibilityexists that the gyro/accelerometer 421 would undergo roll during useafter calibration that would not be compensated for. Roll is definedhere as the gyro's 421 rotation about the centerline 422 of the oar 102,caused by the gyro 421 being mounted at a radial distance from thecenterline 422. Together with the oar's 102 regular movement this wouldamount to a compound movement in space that could provide false data asto exact oar 102 position.

The gyro/accelerometer 421 being on the oar's centerline 422 obviatesthe need for roll detection. The oar 102 can spin on its longitudinalaxis (centerline 422) and it won't matter. The gyro 421 will be rotatingabout its own centerline with only the oar's 102 regular movementneeding to be detected. And too, being constantly oriented along theoar's centerline 421 through the sphere's center, the gyro/accelerometer421 wouldn't require calibration as to its angular relationship with thesphere.

The gyro/accelerometer 421 is a wireless transmitter type, and could besuch as are used in Nintendo©, Sony© or other home entertainmentproducts. InvenSense© is a manufacturer of gyro/accelerometercomponents. Their products can be used to design and build agyro/accelerometer for the embodiment should complete units by gamedevice manufacturers or others not bet used. The embodiment'sgyro/accelerometer 421 units should be able to be installed and removedby the user to facilitate safe storage and transport.

FIG. 6A is a view of the assembled first embodiment, made up of sevenmodular component categories: a platform 152; a locking swivel base 156with a locking swivel assembly 176 at each end of the swivel base 156;two swing arms 158; two tower assemblies 160; two sphericalelectromagnet canister assemblies 162; two oars 102 along with twogyro/accelerometer/wireless transmitters 421, shown attached; and aremovable power control module 420 and cabling 112.

The power control module 420 is composed of speech recognition, memory,computational and possibly audible feedback subsystems for the controlof an internal power supply. Carry grips 154 are holes within theplatform. The part of the power cable 112 that runs between the twospherical electromagnet canister assemblies 162 can be eliminated, as inFIG. 6B, by designing the system so as to use electrically conductivewires or tracks (none of which are shown) within the system's frameworkparts.

The platform 152 sits upon the locking swivel base 156, holding it inplace. The swivel base extends underneath the width of the platform 152and beyond. The swivel base 156 and its two swivel assemblies 176 allowthe two swing arms 158 to be adjusted for effective length and angulardisplacement, providing versatility in the floor positions of the twotower assemblies 160 and therefore their attached electromagnet canisterassemblies 162. A tower assembly 160 is composed of a floor plate 218attached to the bottom of a tower 220 that supports a vertically slidingcollar 226 that has a canister mounting deck 224 attached to the slidingcollar 226. Further choice of tower assembly 160 floor position isbrought about by locating the swivel base 156 in one of three platformpositioning troughs 164 at the underside of the platform 152, asdepicted in FIG. 7.

FIG. 7A is a top view of the platform 152 and the locking swivel base156 which fits within any of the three platform positioning troughs 164underneath the platform 152. The figure shows hidden views of thetroughs 164 integral to the underside of the platform 152. Each troughis able to be fit down over the swivel base 156, holding it in place.FIGS. 7B and 7C are side views of the alignment between the platform 152and the swivel base 156, both before they are brought into contact (FIG.7B), and afterward (FIG. 7C).

Aiding stability between the platform 152 and the locking swivel base156, are the two trough recesses 166 near the ends of each of the threeplatform positioning troughs 164, which mate with the two swivel baseprotrusions 168 in the swivel base. The trough recesses 166 and swivelbase protrusions 168 correspond in size and spacing to each other. Theprotrusions 166 insert to the recesses 168 when the platform is loweredupon the locking swivel base 156 and help keep the swivel base steadywithin its positioning trough 164. The recesses 166 and the protrusions168 also aid the user in placing the platform 152 down upon the swivelbase 156 correctly.

The outboard areas (ends) of the platform positioning troughs 164 arebeveled from the upper surface of the platform 152, which is here theupper bevel portion 170, downward to at least near the bottom surface ofthe platform 152, which is here the lower bevel portion 171. This isillustrated in FIGS. 7B and 7C. When the platform 152 is placed upon thelocking swivel base 156, the beveled areas 170, 171 at each outboardedge of the three platform positioning troughs 164 in the platform 152rest against a mating surface on a berm bevel 172, located at theinboard sides of two swivel base berms 174 protruding upward from thelocking swivel base 156.

Proper fit between the swivel base's two berm bevels 172 and theplatform positioning trough's two end surfaces 170, 171 within eachpositioning trough 164, grants stability during use between the platform152 and locking swivel base 156. The locking swivel base berm 174, beingoutside of the footprint of the platform 152, also serves as a locatorand guide in the placement of the platform upon the locking swivel base.

FIG. 7B shows the platform 152 positioned above the swivel base 156.Note that the platform positioning trough 164 and the trough recess 166are hidden features. The swivel base 156 and its features, which mate tothe platform 152, are not hidden in this view. FIG. 7C shows platform152 and locking swivel base 156 mated together as during use.

FIG. 8A depicts the locking swivel assembly 176 and a portion of a swingarm 158 locked in place.

FIG. 8B is an exploded view depicting the parts of the locking swivelassembly 176, comprised of levered cam 178; cam pin 180; upper vice jaw182; upper vice jaw screw holes 184; lower vice jaw 186; vice platen188; vice platen slots 190; swivel ring 192; swivel ring shelf 194;spring disk 196; spring disk slots 198; stirrup 200; stirrup shanks 202;stirrup shank holes 203; stirrup screws 204; stirrup shank slots 206 andstirrup foot 208.

The locking swivel assembly 176 serves three functions. One is to allowa swing arm 158 to have its effective length adjusted at the upper andlower vice jaws 182, 186, which aids in placing each tower assembly 160with its spherical electromagnet canister assembly 162 of FIG. 6A on theworkout floor.

A second function is that it allows a swing arm 158 to be rotated eitherclockwise or counter-clockwise parallel to the floor, about the verticalaxis through the center of the swivel ring 192. This further aids in theplacement of a tower assembly 160 on the floor.

A third function is to lock a swing 158 arm securely in place within theupper and lower vice jaws 182, 186 of the swivel assembly 176, enablingthe desired position of a tower assembly 160 to be solidly maintainedduring use.

The cylindrical swivel ring 192 is stationary, being permanently affixedto the locking swivel base 156 (see FIG. 6). There is a swivel ringshelf 194, which is a flat circular plate with a large hole at thecenter, permanently affixed to the inner circumference of the swivelring 192.

Placed into the swivel ring 192 and on top of the swivel ring shelf 194is the vice platen 188, which is a flat circular plate of appropriatelystrong material, slightly smaller in diameter than the inner diameter ofthe swivel ring 192. The vice platen 188 is able to be rotated withinthe swivel ring 194. The vice platen has a lower vice jaw 186permanently affixed to its upper side. The vice platen 188 contains twovice platen slots 190 which are immediately outboard from the long sidesof the affixed lower vice jaw 186. These slots allow passage through theplaten 188 of the two stirrup shanks 202 of the stirrup 200.

At the underside of the swivel ring shelf 194, and inside thecircumference of the swivel ring 192, is a flat spring disk 196, ofdiameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the swivel ring192. The spring disk 196 has two slots 198 in it to allow passagethrough the spring disk of the two shanks 202 of the stirrup 200. Thestirrup shanks insert from below through the two spring disk slots 198,then through the large hole at the center of the swivel ring shelf 194and then up through the two vice platen slots 190, to be fastened off atthe cam pin 180, above the upper vice jaw 182. See FIG. 8A for theassembled view.

The cam pin 180 runs through the levered cam 178 and through the twostirrup shank holes 203. The ends of the cam pin are expanded to hold itin the stirrup shank holes 203. The levered cam 178 is a cylinder with ahole drilled through it parallel to the major axis of the cylinder, andoffset from the center. A handle is permanently affixed to the cylinder.Stirrup screws 204 are inserted through the two stirrup shank slots 206and into the upper vice jaw 182 at holes 184 to guide the stirrup shanks202 in vertical travel and to help keep the stirrup shanks close to thesides of the upper vice jaw 182.

As the levered cam 178 begins to be rotated downward (clockwise in FIGS.8A and 8B), toward the upper vice jaw 182 from a relaxed verticalposition, the stirrup shanks 202 and their stirrup foot 208 begin to bepulled vertically upward. As the cam 178 is rotated sufficiently, itscamming action against the upper vice jaw 182 increases. To complete thelocking action the cam 178 will be rotated through its maximum appliedforce so that the lever of the cam is then held against the top of theupper vice jaw 182 by the downward recovery force of the spring disk196, which is in opposition to the spring disk 196 being deflectedupward as the stirrup 200 was being raised by the levered cam 178.

The vice jaws 182, 186 are thus locked, clamping an inserted swing arm158 tightly until the levered cam 178 is rotated back the other waycausing the camming action to pass back through its maximum toward therelaxed condition of the spring disk 196. Relaxation of spring disk 196force will allow the swing arm 158 that is inserted to the vice jaws tobe slid lengthwise for adjustment or removal.

The spring disk 196, when not upwardly flexed, is positioned to be innegligible contact with the underside of the swivel ring shelf 194,allowing the spring disk to be slid against the shelf in rotation. Thisallows a swing arm 158 to be easily rotated parallel to the floor.

The spring disk is sufficiently thin to allow a flexure (displacement)in the vertical direction at its center and beyond, out toward itsperiphery, whenever an upward force is applied by the levered cam 178acting on the stirrup 200. The cam 178 pulls the stirrup shanks 202upward. This brings the stirrup foot 208 upward toward the spring disk196. As the stirrup foot 208 begins to make harder contact with theunderside of the spring disk 196, the disk is forced upward against theunderside of the swivel ring shelf 194.

As the spring disk 196 begins to become distorted from its normallyplanar condition, flexing upwardly toward the hole in the swivel ringshelf 194, the spring disk 196 makes very hard contact with theunderside of the swivel ring shelf 194. Sufficient upward displacementof the spring disk 196 causes the swivel ring shelf 194 to be forcefullysandwiched between the ascended spring disk 196 underneath the swivelring shelf 194, and the vice platen 188 riding on top of the swivel ringshelf 194. This combined action grips the stationary swivel ring shelf194 strongly.

As part of this, the upper vice jaw 182 is forced downward by thelevered cam 178, gripping the inserted swing arm 158 between the twovice jaws 182, 186. The vice platen 188, the upper and lower vice jaws(182, 186) and the swing arm 158 inserted in the vice jaws, are thusheld tightly. And with the swivel ring 192 being permanently affixed tothe locking swivel base 156, the swing arm 158 and its tower assembly160 are thus held in position on the floor.

FIG. 9A is a view of a tower assembly 160, its spherical electromagnetcanister assembly 162 and a portion of a connected swing arm 158. Theelectromagnet canister assembly 162 is shown placed at its minimumheight on the tower assembly 160.

FIG. 9B shows the swing arm 158 of FIG. 9A ready to be joined to a swingarm stud 210, which is permanently affixed through a v-block 216 to thefloor plate 218 of a tower assembly 160. The end of the swing arm 158 isinserted to the swing arm stud 210 with sufficiently close tolerance toform a good fit. A spring button 212 in the swing arm stud 210 isthumb-depressible, allowing the end of the swing arm 158 to pass overthe button 212 when the button is depressed. The spring button 212 thensnaps back to its extended position within the button locking hole 214near the end of the swing arm 158. This locks the swing arm to the towerassembly 160. Conversely, depressing the spring button 212 allows theswing arm 158 to be slid back off of the swing arm stud 210.

FIGS. 10A and 10B show a tower assembly 160 with its sphericalelectromagnet canister assembly 162 locked in on a tower 220 (FIG. 10C),at the lowest (FIG. 10 A) and also near the highest positions (FIG.10B).

FIG. 10C is a view of the parts that hold the spherical canisterassembly 162 and allow its height adjustment. A canister mountingassembly 222 is composed of a canister mounting deck 224, permanentlyaffixed to the sliding collar 226, which can be raised or lowered alongthe tower 220. A sliding collar lock 228 is a coil spring operated boltthat inserts under spring pressure to a locking hole 230 as chosen bythe user. Pulling backward along the axis of the collar lock 228compresses the coil spring and withdraws the bolt from a locking hole230 to enable the canister mounting assembly 222 and its sphericalcanister assembly 162 to be positioned along the tower.

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 show top views of this first embodiment depicting,in relation to the platform 152, various positions of the locking swivelbase 156, swing arms 158, tower assemblies 160 and spherical canisterassemblies 162, and oars 102. These views exclude the electricalcomponents.

The views demonstrate the versatility of placement of the towerassemblies 160 upon the floor, which results in oar 102 spacing andorientation being quite varied. This aids in the accomplishment of awide variety of exercises.

In these views the towers 220 are intended to be shown as mountedslightly in the non-vertical, along the axes of the swing arms 158 in adirection away from the swivel bases 176. This inclination facilitates asafety clearance between the oars 102 and the towers 220 when thespherical canister assemblies 162 are in their lowered positions uponthe towers 220 and the oars 102 are being used in a near verticalorientation as in FIG. 12. It will therefore be more difficult for thehands to strike the towers 220 when the oars 102 are being used in thenear upright position compared to the towers 220 being attached in thestrict vertical orientation.

FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11C assume an arbitrary platform 152 size ofapproximately 1 meter square for illustration purposes only. FIG. 11Ashows the inboard proximity of the oars 102 to each other to be veryclose. FIGS. 11B and 11C show an inboard proximity of the oars 102 to beapproximately ½ meter and 1 meter respectively. The spacing can bevaried throughout this range by adjusting the lengthwise positions ofthe swing arms 158 within the locking swivel assemblies 176 and also theangle of rotation along the floor of the swing arms 158 about thelocking swivel assemblies 176.

Notice that advantage has been taken in choosing the placement of thelocking swivel base 156. In FIGS. 11A and 11B the swivel base 156 is inan outboard platform positioning trough 164, the trough at the top inFIG. 7A, while in FIG. 11C the swivel base 156 is in the middle trough164 depicted in FIG. 7A. Choosing which platform positioning trough 164to employ helps the user to stand in the middle of the platform whileexercising.

FIG. 12 shows the oars 102 at an elevated inclination approaching thevertical. The canister assemblies 162 probably would be placed at theirlowest positions along the towers 220 to facilitate oar use.

FIGS. 13A and 13B show the swing arms 158 at their longest reach fromtheir swivel assemblies 176 (FIG. 11B). FIG. 13A demonstratesorientation of the oars 102 extending away from the user directly to thefront or rear. FIG. 13B has oar 102 orientations roughly similar tothose of the FIG. 11 series, that is, oars 102 that extend away in asideways, lateral direction from a user.

FIG. 14 shows an offset vice system 232 affixed to a tower's floor plate218.

This system allows the floor plate 218 to be moved along the swing arm158 without the swing arm 158 contacting the tower 220. This createsgreater versatility in positioning the floor plate 218 on the exercisefloor since the swing arm 158 can be left in place at the platform's 152locking swivel assembly (176 of FIG. 15A), and the floor plate 218simply slid along the swing arm 158 toward or away from the lockingswivel assembly 176, and the user, as desired. This way the swing arm158 often doesn't need to be swept through an angle of rotation at thelocking swivel assembly 176 to attain a comfortable oar 102 separationfor the user. Convenience is enhanced and exercise floor space isconserved.

The offset vice system 232 uses a levered cam 178, upper vice jaw 182,lower vice jaw 186 and two offset vice system shanks 234 that areaffixed to the lower vice jaw 182. The lower vice jaw is affixed to thefloor plate 218.

The levered cam 178 puts pressure on the upper vice jaw 182 when thelevered cam 178 is in the clockwise, lowered, position forcing the uppervice jaw 182 to clamp down on the swing arm 158, holding the swing armfast. Rotating the levered cam 178 counterclockwise releases thepressure. Spring resistance can be incorporated to the locking system,but isn't depicted here.

FIGS. 15A, 15B and 15C depict the use and advantage of the offset vicesystem 232.

Note that the tower assemblies 160 and their electromagnet canisterassemblies 162 are slid along the swing arms 158. The swing arms arekept in stationary position at the platform's locking swivel assemblies176. Various distances between the oars 102 are thus accomplishedwithout the swing arms 158 being rotated at the locking swivelassemblies 176, or the swing arms 158 being slid lengthwise through theswivel assemblies 176, either toward or away from the platform. Thisforms an advantage in that the swing arms 158 don't encroach upon theuser on the platform.

FIG. 15A has the tower assemblies 160 and spherical electromagnetcanister assemblies 162 slid inboard along the swing arms 158 so thatthe oars 102 almost touch at their inboard ends. FIG. 15B has the towerassemblies 160 and electromagnet canister assemblies 162 moved outwardlyalong the swing arms 158, providing a wider spacing between oars 102,while in FIG. 15C the tower assemblies 160 and electromagnet canisterassemblies 162 are moved to substantially a maximum distance from eachother, creating wide spacing of the oars 102.

FIGS. 16, 17 and 18 are programming block diagrams/flowcharts, enablingprogrammers to write the code for the power control system. Theflowcharts show only the procedural and logic steps involved increating, saving and using an exercise program . . . not any hardware.

The control system hardware includes in part thegyro/accelerometers/transmitters 421, their battery power sources andany other electronics necessary, mounted as a detachable unit on eachoars.

The control system also includes the power control module 420, which iscomprised of a power control digital processor, speech recognitionprocessor, timer, memories, a wireless receiver for the transmittedgyro/accelerometer data, possibly a speaker system, a power source forthe module 420 and any other appropriate electronics and hardware,contained in a detachable unit.

The system automatically controls the power to the magnets duringexercise routines which utilize oar position and tolerance zones, by wayof recognizing and acting upon the spatial orientations of the oars.These are orientations in 3-space, the three dimensions we are familiarwith. These orientations, once calibration of the system occurs to “zeroout” the oars, are in the form of angles of deviation of the oars fromtheir calibration positions.

The processor can also control the resistances during of timedexercises, whether stored or un-stored, without the locations of theoars playing a part. And by way of real time verbal commands it can alsocontrol the forces applied during free-form ad hoc routines. Timed andfree-form exercises don't make use of the gyro/accelerometers to notifythe power control system where the oars are during an exercise. Thecontrol module's timer, or else verbal command, is what controlsmagnetic force changes during these.

An Explanation of the Power Control's Diagrams/Flowcharts

In the following discussion the decision blocks of FIGS. 16, 17 and 18are explained. The word “substantially”, meaning here “sufficientlyclose”, should be applied whenever an oar's location in space duringactual exercise is needed to be compared with other vectors (see thediscussion of vectors further on) and oar orientations, previouslygenerated and saved, in order to cause a force change at a magnet. Closeis good enough in this case, since exactness would be almost impossibleto achieve as far as orientation vectors exactly coinciding with othersduring movements of an oar, even though all the vectors have one commonpoint and are rotated about that point, as is brought out further on.

FIG. 16 shows the control steps taken by the present embodiment uponmanual power-up. These steps include; storing new exercises; handlingthe user's verbal commands; decisions about the type of exercise format;follow-on instructions for each type of exercise; routing to and fromFIGS. 17 and 18.

The upper two-thirds of FIG. 16 concerns starting up and the proceduresthe system goes through for actuating various exercise scenarios. Theseinclude a new exercise to be created; calling up a stored exercise foruse; whether or not the exercise is timed or free-form; the decisionsinvolved for routing into these scenarios.

The lower third of FIG. 16, beginning with a statement block at theleft, following the timed exercise decision, involves the flow ofcontrol for stored exercises having automatic force changes. Timedexercises are not included in this, since it is felt at this time thatthey won't utilize tolerance zones, therefore won't involve decisionsabout using oar position to determine automatic changes of force.

When a particular automatic force change exercise is called up, controladvances through to the statement block in the lower third along theleft side. It causes the system to time out and power down after an idleperiod. In powering down this way, new verbal commands are first stored,along with any pertinent new data.

Moving to the right a previous instruction set is encountered again,namely “Receive, store and apply appropriate verbal commands and data”.

Control won't be transferred to the upper two-thirds of FIG. 16 againuntil after this exercise is terminated. It is necessary to include theabove instruction set again here, since once control enters the lowerthird of FIG. 16 it stays there or else transfers to FIG. 17 for aperiod, entering decision blocks that are necessary to cause the systemto perform changes of force. Then control transfers back to FIG. 16, notto move higher than the lower third, until the exercise times out fromidleness or is terminated by command.

Next on the right in the lower third is a decision block as to whetheran oar has entered a different zone. What is meant by an oar entering atolerance zone is discussed in detail in the further section, “TOLERANCEZONES: THEIR CONSTRUCTION AND EXPLANATION”.

It is not necessary to differentiate between the start zone and anyother here, since should the oar leave the start zone and then re-enterbefore going into a different zone, the initial force will still beapplied. It therefore isn't necessary to inquire whether the oar hasre-entered the start zone before entering another, since the forcewouldn't have changed from exiting the first time to then re-enter andleave again.

If the “different zone” decision block answer at any time during theperformance of the exercise is “No—the oar has not entered a differentzone”, then control loops back through a “Maintain force” statementblock and into the “idle period” power-down block at the left, then tobegin the “different zone” decision process again.

If the answer is “Yes—the oar has entered a different zone”, thencontrol exits FIG. 16 through point (C) into FIG. 17. Then when thedecision processes of FIG. 17 are finalized control loops back to FIG.16 through point (D).

As mentioned, FIG. 17 is a flowchart depicting the force change decisionprocess that occurs when oars enter tolerance zones. A tolerance zonecannot automatically generate a force change without the decision logicof FIG. 17 triggering the change.

FIG. 17 and a Discussion of Data Sets

A “data set” is a sequence of saved gyro/accelerometer data samples,generated as oar orientations i.e., radius vectors (see the discussionof vectors below). They describe the pathway of an oar within atolerance zone. Data sets, as do all oar orientation vectors, express anoar's angular deviation from the zeroed orientations in 3-spacegenerated and stored at calibration at the beginning of a session.

There are sequential oar orientation data sets in each tolerance zone.An “entrance set”, maps the oar's progress from the point of oar entryacross the tolerance zone boundary (see the discussion of tolerancezones below) up to where it reaches as far as the oar's set-up cyclestopping point. A second data set, the “exit set”, is the oar's pathfrom the stopping point out to the point where the oar goes across thezone's boundary in leaving the zone. The word “substantially” is to beapplied to the closeness of an oar's tracking during exercise comparedto the set-up cycle pathways.

Entering the Left Side of FIG. 17

Having entered the first decision block of FIG. 17, the force changeprocess has begun in earnest. The block tests for whether or not the oarhas entered the new zone in [substantially] the “same direction” as,“parallel to”, [and sufficiently close] to the entrance data set,compared to the oar's movement in that zone during the set-up cycle. Ifso, the oar is in “compliance” with the entrance data set.

If the answer at this first decision block is “Yes—the oar's movement iscompliant with this zone's entrance data set”—then control movesdownward from the first block into a second decision set.

The decision here is whether or not the oar has substantially reachedthe set-up cycle's stopping point in the zone just entered, and whetherthe processor has then been alerted. If the answer to this is “No”, theforce that was already in existence is not changed and control thenflows back to FIG. 16 through (D) for the oar's position to be testedagain for being in some zone.

If the answer at this second decision block is “Yes—the stopping pointhas been substantially reached”, control then proceeds down to the nexttest block.

This third block decides whether the oar's movement is in compliancewith the exit data set from the zone during the set-up cycle. If theanswer is “No”, control is routed back through (D) to FIG. 16 whilemaintaining the prior force. The process of the lower third of FIG. 16will then be repeated.

If the answer in this decision block is “Yes”, control then passesdownward to the statement block at the bottom left, which tells theprocessor to change the force at the oar's magnet to the force calledfor in the zone during the set-up cycle while the oar was moving in theoutgoing direction, as in going from 3 to 3′ of FIG. 19A. Control thenreturns to FIG. 16 through (D) to begin the zone entrance process again.

Very often during exercise the oars will be brought through the zones inthe reverse direction. This is where the right side of FIG. 17 comes in.

Crossing Over to the Right Side of FIG. 17 from the Left

If the test at entering FIG. 17 at the upper left results in a “No”,then control proceeds to the right side of the figure where a test ismade as to whether or not the oar has entered the zone in compliancewith the reverse direction (opposite or backward sequential order) ofthe orientation data from the set-up cycle's exit from that zone.

This is the converse case of the first test block encountered at the topleft. That block on the left tested for compliance with the entrancedata set (forward sequential order, or outgoing direction). This blockat the upper right tests for the only other compliance possibility, thereverse of the exit data set, which involves the reverse or returndirection back through the zone.

If the answer is “No” with this upper decision block, control passesback to FIG. 16 through (D) without a change in force. There has been nocompliance, either with entrance to the zone along the forward directionof the entrance, or with entrance along the reverse direction of theexit.

If the answer is “Yes” at this block, control passes downward to themiddle decision block, the same as with the left hand side. The test isagain for whether or not the oar has substantially reached the set-upcycle's stopping point and alerted the processor.

If “No”, the process loops back to FIG. 16 through (D) with the forcenot being changed from what it was at entering FIG. 17 at (C). If “Yes”,control moves down to the last decision block on the right.

This last test block asks whether the oar has exited the zone incompliance with the reverse of the entrance data set, i.e. has it leftthe zone by tracking the set-up cycle's entrance backwards? If theanswer is “No”, control loops back to FIG. 16 through (D) without achange of force.

If “Yes”, then control passes downward to the statement block at thebottom right and the force is changed to that called for that zoneduring the set-up cycle while the oar was moving in the returndirection, as in going from 6 to 6′ of FIG. 19A. Control then goes backto FIG. 16 through (D) to begin the testing for entrance to a differentzone.

In this way all of the tolerance zones are tested for compliant oarmovement, causing forces at the magnets to be changed automatically tothose instituted at the exercise's set-up cycle if the passage of theoars is compliant, and maintaining existing forces when non-compliant.

The control module can receive verbal commands at any time during anexercise. Verbal commands may be given that cause force changes to beapplied at any tolerance zone entered. At the user's discretion verbalcommands may be saved to become permanent parts of an exercise.

FIG. 18: Creating an Exercise to be Stored: The Set-Up Cycle

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of the process for creating an exercise to bestored.

Entering FIG. 18 at (A) from FIG. 16, a decision is called for as towhether or not the exercise being created is a timed one. If it is to betimed, then control moves to the right, to the statement block for this.A timed exercise does not use tolerance zones. Forces are notautomatically changed per oar position in timed exercises.

During the set-up cycle of a timed exercise forces can be verballyassigned to change at specific elapsed times, but not oar position.Changes of force and their times of occurrence can be altered laterduring the actual use of this type of exercise.

After creating a timed exercise control is routed back to FIG. 16through point (B) for the exercise to be stored. It can be usedimmediately if desired.

If the decision is made that a timed exercise is not the type to becreated . . . that is, a tolerance-zoned exercise is to be created, thencontrol moves downward through several statement blocks of FIG. 18 thatcall for initialization/calibration; oars being brought to the startingposition; verbally commanding the beginning of data sampling; beginningto move the oars through the set-up cycle of the intended exercise;receiving, applying and storing verbal commands.

Next on the left side of FIG. 18 at the bottom, is a statement blockthat calls for the creation of tolerance zones. Temporary oar stoppingpoints are called for at each oar position where automatic force changeis desired. These stopping points are oar vector data used as referencepoints for the system to help create the tolerance zones and help enableautomatic force changes during actual exercise.

Beginning from the upper right of FIG. 18 are two statement blocks thatcall for the creation and storing of these data sets. The first of thesetwo blocks calls for the establishment of “entrance data sets”. Theentrance sets are gyro/accelerometer readouts in the form of vectors,just as the stopping points are. But the entrance data sets describe themovement of the oars upon entering the tolerance zones, up to the oarstopping points. They describe motion, not a fixed location as do thestopping points. This movement described in vector form extends from thecrossing of the zone's boundary inward to the stopping point. The datais saved in sequential order relative to its respective stopping point.

The second of the statement blocks on the right of FIG. 18 calls for theestablishment of “exit data sets”. These are of the same nature as theentrance sets, except that they extend from the oar stopping pointwithin a zone out to the crossing of the zone's boundary at an oar'sexiting the zone.

A statement block is next on the right that calls for discarding the oarorientation data that lies between the tolerance zones . . . whetherdone individually or en masse. The particular exercise is verballyassigned a name and stored through (B) of FIG. 16.

Next near the bottom of FIG. 18 is a decision block that seeks to findout if the just-created exercise is to be used right away. If “Yes”,then control passes back to FIG. 16 at (B) to enter the process of usinga saved exercise. If “No”, then control is moved downward to the laststatement block. At this point either control passes to (B) of FIG. 16to begin another activity or the session is terminated by the variousmeans.

FIGS. 19A, 19B and 19C

FIG. 19A is a diagram illustrating a saved exercise. Tolerance zones areshown created at each force change point, here designated by circles.The circles indicate end views of the tolerance zones. The zones aredescribed in the section on TOLERANCE ZONES as conical. They are rightcircular cones. The circles here represent cone bases, which areimaginary.

The figure's six movement exercise is composed of: Military pressbeginning at 1; lat pull-down beginning at 2; downward triceps extensionat 3; standing abdominal crunchie at 4; and coming back up, a dead liftat 5; reverse curl at 6. The series finishes up at 1, the startingpoint.

The oar path curves appear spaced apart in FIG. 19A, but this doesn'tneed to be the case during actual use, because the “return” oar path canbe done away with since the return path is substantially the same as theforward (outgoing) path when the sequence of the forward path is“flipped around”. So that the forward path could be chosen to be savedand used to test for compliance in the cases of both forward and reverseoar directions. Using only one of the oar paths should simplify theprocessing system's task and may result in memory and part savings.

FIG. 19B is an expanded view of FIG. 19A involving the two middletolerance zones, with the oar moving in the forward (outgoing)direction.

FIG. 19C is a perspective wireframe view illustrating a typical zone'simaginary base and its oar stopping point vector with some of the cone'swall boundary vectors generated about it. The wall vectors are showncoming to a common point at the center of the oar's magnetic sphere,where they also share that one point with the oar's orientation vector.The zone is illustrated without its entrance or exit data sets.

The oar and its orientation vector rotate about the center of thesphere, in this case in the direction shown. The oar's orientationvector, by rotating about the sphere's center, can become co-incident toone of the stationary wall vectors while passing into the tolerance zoneor in exiting the zone while passing through.

A Discussion of Vectors

As concerns distance we are in a 3-space world. That is, our experienceinvolves the three dimensions of length, width and height. Each of theseis in a direction that is at right angles to the other two.

Commonly in mathematics the three directions are designated X, Y and Z.Movement or position to the left or right of some point of reference, aswe face it, is typically considered to be along the X axis. An exampleof movement along the X axis is the direction of reading along the linesof writing here . . . from left to right, or also in the direction ofcursor return to begin a new line . . . from right to left. Movement tothe right is considered positive, and that to the left is negative.

A direction that is straight in to or out from this screen or page isassigned as the Y axis. Out from the page is considered positive and into the page is negative. The vertical direction is assigned as the Zaxis. Up is positive and down is negative.

Linear vectors (here, “vectors”) are straight lines in space.Mathematically a vector is a directed line segment between two points inour familiar 3-space. Each of those points has a mathematicaldescription of the form aX+by +cZ, where a, b and c are whole numberssuch as 4, 0 or −7. An example of two points in space is (X−5Y+3Z) and(2X+Y+4Z), relative to a reference point of (0, 0, 0). If we assume thata line drawn between two points begins at one point with coordinates (1,−5, 3) and extends to a second point (2, 1, 4), then the vector betweenthese two points is the difference between their positions, which wouldbe the terminal point minus the initial point. Using algebra, thecoefficients of each axis are grouped together and the first point issubtracted from the second point, yielding:(2−1)X+(1−(−5))Y+(4−3)Z=(1X+6Y+1Z)=(X+6Y+Z), or a vector in the (1,6, 1) spatial direction, relative to the (0, 0, 0) origin.

The vectors used by the present embodiment are described more simply.They are “radius vectors”. This is because all of an oar's vectors musthave the center of the respective magnetic sphere as a common point.That is, each gyro/accelerometer has its centerline passing through thecenter of its sphere at the end of the oar, (refer to FIGS. 5 and 19 C).When the oar is moved (rotated about the sphere) all of the vectors thatare generated, no matter where the oar is, pass through the sphere'scenter.

The sphere's center is fixed in space, since it doesn't translate (movein relation to any of the axes) when in use. It only spins around. Thisimplies all of the vectors have one of their points in common, animmovable point. And not only do all vectors of each oar have one pointin common, but that point can be considered to be the point of origin ofeach oar's vectors. So that using the terminal point in the aboveexample, the radius vector may be described as(2X+Y+4Z)−(OX+OY+OZ)=(2X+Y+4Z)=(2, 1, 4).

This vector approach is similar to a searchlight, while stationary atthe ground, being rotated to any position. The light beam is the vectorin this case and each direction it shines is unique from all other lightbeam directions.

That point will be wherever the gyro/accelerometer, attached to its oar,has been moved to by rotation about the sphere's center aftercalibration. In all the universe as far as that gyro/accelerometer isconcerned, after calibration there is only one point (vector) with thedesignation of (2X+Y+4Z). Being unique, this vector can be discernedfrom all other vectors, which are all themselves unique.

A Further Note about Tolerance Zones

There is no need to measure a distance from the sphere that agyro/accelerometer has traversed. An oar's gyro/accelerometer cannothave traversed any distance from its sphere. It is at a fixed distance,being fastened to the oar, which is fastened to the sphere. Thissimplifies the memory and computational requirements of the powercontrol system.

The Tolerance Zones: Their Construction and Explanation . . . The Set-UpCycle

Tolerance zone boundaries are vector envelopes in the shape of rightcircular cones about each oar stopping point. They are created duringthe set-up cycle at each temporary oar stoppage. A force amount isverbally assigned at each zone where a change is desired. The oarstopping point data, boundary vector data and verbal commands at eachzone are saved.

As each oar's movement is variously stopped during a set-up cycle, theoar's angular orientation, which is its deviation from the zero anglesestablished at calibration, is converted into vector form by itsgyro/accelerometer and the process for constructing a zone occurs.

As an aid to understanding, a zone may be visualized as a slightlyopened umbrella (see FIG. 19C). Its individual ribs are being consideredhere and not the umbrella's skin. The umbrella's central shank andhandle are also important to the discussion. In this the umbrella hasthe far top of its shank stuck through to the center of a Styrofoamball, which represents the magnetic sphere. And also, the umbrella'sin-line handle (a handle that isn't curved) is at the location of thegyro/accelerometer on an oar.

Externally tolerance zones are sets of straight line vectors in 3-space.The large number of these vectors that form each zone are the walls(boundaries) of hollow right-circular cones. A zone is here to be seenas a conical wall without a base. Each of these cones of vectors is amathematical construct. These cone vectors are merely computed entitiesthat surround a central vector that is generated as a piece of angularorientation data by each gyroscope at the points where an oarmomentarily stops during the set-up cycle. See FIG. 19C.

An elaboration: An oar stops momentarily. The orientation data of theoar's current location in 3-space is read by the gyro/accelerometer. Theprocessor then generates linear vectors that surround the oar stoppingpoint. These vectors form that zone's wall, the vectors together forminga right-circular cone. These boundary vectors cross each other, formingthe vertex of the cone. Each cone's vertex is at the center of itsrespective oar's magnetic sphere.

A fuller elaboration: These wall vectors, as mathematical constructs,form right-circular cones generated to symmetrically encompass an oar'sstopping points during a set-up cycle. All of a zone's wall vectors arecomputed to pass through a common point which forms each cone's vertex.This vertex is computed to be located at the center of each magneticsphere.

The gyro/accelerometer, along the centerline of each oar, is in linewith the center of its sphere (see FIG. 5). As the oar is moved duringexercise the sphere's center remains stationary in space . . . it doesnot translate, which is to move in relation to the three axes of space.The sphere is held in place by the swing arm/tower/canister mountingassembly 158/220/222 combination being locked during exercise.

But the sphere revolves, therefore the sphere's center revolves. Therevolving center Has become a pivot point for the oar and the oar'sattached gyroscope. An oar might not actually reach into a sphere as faras the sphere's center, but as the oar is being moved it can beconsidered as pivoting about that center.

As it is a right-circular cone with vertex at the center of a magneticsphere, a tolerance zone flairs outwardly along its length as anobserver would “see” it if he were looking from the sphere along the oartoward the handle. This borrows from the analogy of the slightly openedumbrella given above.

The cones do not have bases. But an imaginary base can be visualized asa circle, slightly larger in diameter than an oar. This circular basehas as its center the gyro/accelerometer's major axis, which is thegyro's center of measurement. A cone's wall vectors are substantiallyevenly spread out around the circle and touch its perimeter. Thisimplies that the wall vectors are substantially symmetrically disbursedabout each oar stopping point orientation vector, which is by analogyhere the shank of the umbrella. The wall vectors are analogous to theumbrella's ribs.

The Relationship of Orientation Vectors to Conical Tolerance Zones

Assume the partially opened umbrella that represents the conicaltolerance zone mentioned above is laid down upon an infinitely thinstraight wire on top of a desk and that the wire is in contact with oneof the umbrella's ribs, which represents a single wall vector, all alongeach of their lengths. The straight wire represents an oar's constantlychanging orientation vector, which gives the oar's instantaneousposition in space. In this illustration the vector is contacting thecone's wall, unlike in FIG. 19C where it is at the cone's center.

The large number of a cone's wall vectors all intersect at the cone'svertex, which is the sphere's center. And the orientation vector is incontact, per the assumption just made, with one of the cone's wallvectors all along their lengths. Then by implication the orientationvector also intersects all of the wall vectors at the center of thesphere.

The wire represents a single oar orientation vector. This vector hasbeen generated as a gyro/accelerometer location datum, representing justone instant of an oar's travel. These orientation vectors are constantlybeing generated, one for each instantaneous unique oar position as theoar rotates about the center of its sphere. There can be an infinitenumber of these unique oar locations.

Just as a straight wire that runs directly along the length of apartially opened umbrella cannot be in contact with more than one rib ata time, an oar's instantaneous orientation vector can be in contact withonly one of a cone's large number of surface vectors at any one time,with the exception of at the vertex.

Keep in mind that during oar movement a gyro/accelerometer's orientationvectors each represent the centerline of the oar at that instant. Sosince a cone's surface vectors are fixed in space and all of thosesurface vectors cross at the center of a magnetic sphere, and an oarpivots about the center of that sphere during use, the oar's orientationvectors are able to come into contact with any one of a cone'sstationary surface vectors, but only one stationary cone vector at atime (see FIG. 19C).

Unique orientation vectors are constantly being produced with the oarpivoting about the sphere's center, and are constantly being compared tothe stored stationary wall vectors that make up a tolerance zone's fixedconical walls. This is important.

A vector is identical to another that has the same component valuesalong the three axes (X, Y, Z).

To illustrate, let a stationary vector (3X+5Y−2Z), describing a fixedstraight line in space within a zone's mathematical wall, be approachedmathematically by a succession of continuously generated, instantaneous,unique vectors produced by the radially moving gyro/accelerometer. Ifthat moving generator of vectors happens to produce a vector thattemporarily overlays the fixed, stationary vector, then theinstantaneous vector that describes the moving generator's position ismathematically identical to the single stationary vector (3X+5Y−2Z).Keep in mind that the moving vector is identical to the stationaryvector only for the length of time it overlays it in passing, except ifthe moving vector comes to rest on the stationary vector.

As long as two straight lines (vectors) . . . one stationary and oneable to be pivoted all around . . . always share one point fixed inspace (in this case the center of a magnetic sphere), the movable linecould be pivoted about that common point and come into contact with thestationary line. This contact is the overlay, the mathematical identitybetween the two vectors.

In coming into contact with each other, the two will at that instanthave become mathematically identical, the same vector. And in the nextinstant, should the orientation vector move away, even infinitesimally,to another location, the prior identity of vectors will no longer exist.They will have become two distinct vectors again. Vectors substantiallycoming into contact . . . that is approaching within pre-determinedlimits . . . is a main modus operandi of tolerance zones in controllingthe magnetic force at the spheres.

After oar calibration at the beginning of each exercise session theoar's departure from the zero calibration point (the zero vector) iscontinuously read. These readings are the orientation vectors that theprocessor uses to decide where an oar is located in space, that is, inrelation to the zero vector. As any one of an oar's constantly generatedorientation vectors approaches and substantially coincides with . . .even instantaneously . . . any of the wall vectors of a stationarytolerance zone, this coincidence is detected by the processor and thenused.

To sum: When a pivoting oar's constantly changing orientation vector isrevolving about a fixed common end point that is shared with acollection of immovable vectors, the pivoting vector can sweep throughspace, and at some point its constantly morphing mathematicaldescription may substantially overlay that of one of the stationaryvectors.

Any two substantially overlaid vectors are considered identical. Thechanging relationships between vectors can be constantly tested andtheir actual or near co-incidence, even if lasting for only a very shorttime, can become known and used by the present embodiment. The systemcan thus compare the very large number of individual moveable vectorsconstantly being generated one at a time by the oar's gyro/accelerometerto the large number of stationary vectors of each stored tolerance zone.The system can then respond accordingly.

A First Use of Tolerance Zones: Has an Oar Entered or Left a ToleranceZone?

When the oar's orientation vector, which constantly describes eachinstant of the oar's pivoting sweep through space, becomes substantiallyidentical to one of the stationary wall vectors of a tolerance zone, theprocessor analyzes the event.

Substantial contact (co-incidence or overlay) between an orientationvector and any tolerance zone vector tells the system an important pieceof information, namely that an oar is either entering or exiting atolerance zone's cone. Which of the two scenarios is occurring isconfirmed by immediately adjacent orientation data from thegyro/accelerometer. The case of an oar's orientation vector contactingthe zone's wall, but not penetrating, will not affect the system and isignored.

A SECOND USE OF TOLERANCE ZONES: What is Inside the Zones?

A tolerance zone contains two things from the set-up cycle beyond anoar's stopping point orientation: An “entrance data set” and an “exitdata set”.

Entrance and exit data sets track an oar's progress within each zone.The sets are groups of vectors that are sequentially generated by thegyro/accelerometer and permanently saved, unless a command is verballygiven to discard the particular tolerance zone. As do all of theorientations of an oar, they represent angles of deviation from thezeroed-out calibration angles.

All oar orientations, including oar stopping point orientations, zoneboundaries and entrance and exit data sets are of the same nature . . .vectors in 3-space . . . so that there is no difference qualitativelyinside a zone between an oar's stopping point orientation vector and thezone's entrance and exit vectors. The only difference is that oflocation in space.

The entrance data vectors are generated by the gyro/accelerometer fromthe point of crossing a zone's boundary to enter a zone, up to thestopping point. The exit vectors are generated from the stopping pointout to the oar's exit through the zone's boundary to the outside.

A zone's data sets, in conjunction with the stopping point, serve toallow the system to know whether or not to change an applied force atthe respective magnetic sphere to another force. A force change occursat the system's determining that an oar's path in a zone substantiallyparallels both the entrance and exit data sets inside the zone, ineither the forward or reverse direction, and has traveled sufficientlyclosely to those sets and the oar stopping point between the two datasets.

The Creation of Entrance Data Sets . . . The Set-Up Cycle

An entrance data set is a saved sequence of orientation data samplesgenerated by a gyro/accelerometer during the set-up cycle. It extendsfrom the point at which an oar enters a tolerance zone up to the oar'sstopping point inside the zone.

Some reverse engineering is needed to create the entrance set. Duringthe set-up cycle, as the oar is stopped momentarily and the conical zoneboundaries (vectors) are created about the oar's stopping pointorientation, the zone boundaries come into existence before the entrancedata set has been created in its final form. This is because the zone'sboundary is created after the oar has stopped within the space that willthen contain the zone.

And since the boundary (the cone's wall) is created after the oar isinside and momentarily stopped, it is necessary to have temporarilysaved the oar's path from prior to entering the zone up to the stoppingpoint within the to-be-created zone. Then the orientation data thatexists on the inside of the zone, from entry up to the stopping point,is permanently saved. The oar path data existing prior to the oarentering the newly created zone is discarded. This discarded orientationdata lies outside the zone to the rear, so to speak.

Expanding this a Bit: Constructing the Entrance Data Set

An oar's gyro, once it has been energized and calibrated, is constantlysampling its orientation. As an oar reaches a momentary stopping pointduring the set-up cycle, and the zone has been created about it, oarpath data that has been generated and temporarily saved is called intoplay. This oar path data extends all the way from the oar's point ofexit from the immediately preceding zone's boundary forward to thecurrent stopping point (see FIG. 19B).

The most recent part of this data, including that from the entrancepoint at the current zone on in to the oar's stopping point, will becomethe entrance data set within the current zone and permanently stored inthe sequential order it was sampled. The rest of it to the rear, fromthe entrance point at the current zone on back to the exit point fromthe preceding tolerance zone, will be discarded. The entrance data setfor a zone has now been created.

So that the scenario is: The oar stops momentarily; the conical zone iscreated about the stopping point; the temporarily saved oar path dataextending from the exit from the immediately prior zone forward to thenew stopping point is analyzed in relation to the new tolerance zone'sboundary vectors; the path data extending from the entrance into the newzone up to the stopping point is permanently saved in sequence; the oarpath data found to be between the new zone's boundary vectors on back tothe previous zone's boundary vectors is discarded.

Preserving the sequence of the data sampling is important, as there arechoices to be made during actual use as to whether the oar is travelingin the forward direction of the set-up cycle, or in the reversedirection. This was mentioned in relation to the decision blocks of FIG.17.

One proviso: During actual use the present embodiment allows for thecreation of new tolerance zones disbursed among and incorporated withinan existing exercise regime. Now since only the data inside the existingtolerance zones will have been permanently saved previously, therewouldn't be basis for the creation of new tolerance zones, i.e. all oarorientation data between zones would have been discarded during theset-up cycle, so that a new entrance data set couldn't be created usingthe discarded data formerly between zones. But . . .

A verbal command may be given during actual exercise that will cause theprocessor to temporarily save all of the oar path data from the point ofissuance of the command up to the newly desired zone's oar stoppingpoint. The new tolerance zone and its data sets, both entrance and exit,are then created in the same way as during the set-up cycle. Since afterany of the tolerance zones are created there is no orientation datalying between them, the processor treats this new zone just like theoriginals. None of the data or the automatic force change levels withinprior existing zones is disturbed.

Creating Exit Data Sets . . . The Set-Up Cycle

During the set-up cycle, with the tolerance zone and the entrance dataset having just been created at the oar's stopping point, verbalcommands would typically be given to assign a force while the oar isstill stopped temporarily.

As an oar begins to move beyond its stopping point, the oar's data pathis in the process of exiting the zone. The data between the stoppingpoint and the oar's crossing over the zone's boundary in exiting ispermanently saved. This data is the exit data set. The data is kept insequential order just as with the entrance data set. This allowsdifferentiation between oar movement in the forward direction or thereverse direction later during actual use.

When the oar path within the zone reaches as far as the tolerance zoneboundary, that part of the path that extends beyond the boundary istemporarily saved, not permanently so. It is kept available for thecreation of the entrance set of a next zone further on. And once afurther zone and its entrance data set are created, the oar path data tothe rear, between the zone just exited and this further one isdiscarded.

Operation of the First Embodiment

In addition to this first embodiment being designed to be kept inassembled form at a location such as a home, office, fitness center orpermanent sales location, it is also designed to be moved around inthose locations or carried in disassembled form into and from homes orbusinesses by those wishing to demonstrate its use.

The embodiment is modularized and light weight. This allows the homeparty-plan to be used in marketing. The demonstrator would unload themodules from her car, carry them into the home of the party giver,easily put the modules together and demonstrate the embodiment's use.Disassembly in order to load the demonstration unit into the car aftertaking orders for the product is also a simple process.

FIGS. 6A and 6B: Note that the part of the power cable 112 that spansthe distance from the power control module 420 on the right sphericalelectromagnet canister assembly 162 to the one on the left side,connecting the two, can be replaced by a power track system, not shown,which would run within the embodiment to connect the two electromagnetassemblies electrically. This will eliminate the need for the externallyvisible interconnection shown, producing a cleaner appearance andgreater ease of use.

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 10: The embodiment is modular. FIGS. 6A and 6B depictthe following module types. There are two spherical electromagnetcanister assemblies 162 (FIGS. 6A, 6B and 10B) affixed to their canistermounting assemblies 222 (FIG. 10C). There are two oars 102 (FIGS. 6A and6B); two tower assemblies 160 (FIGS. 6A, 6B and 10B, not including thecanister assemblies 162); two swing arms 158 (FIGS. 6A, 6B and 8A); thelocking swivel base 156 (FIGS. 6A, 6B and 7A); and the platform 152(FIGS. 6A, 6B and 7A). Counting the electrical cables 112 to be amongthe power control system comprised of the module 420 and the twogyro/accelerometers 421 (FIGS. 5 and 6A, 6B), there are eleven modulesin all.

Should the non-electric, non-magnetic components be made of light weightmaterial, for instance carbon fiber, it will be the case that the twospherical canister assemblies 162 could be carried by hand as a unit, insimilar fashion to two bowling balls in one bowling bag, together withthe power control system 420, 421. One tower assembly 160, one oar 102and one swing arm 158 would be a unit, making two of those particularportable units, with both units able to be carried in one trip into andout from a home. The platform 152 is a third transportable unit and thelocking swivel base 156 a fourth. The platform 152 and the swivel base156 could become a combined third transportable unit. This can make forthree comfortable trips from a car to the party giver's home.

Assembly of the Modules

FIG. 7A: The locking swivel base 156 is placed on the floor. Theplatform 152 is placed on top of the swivel base with the swivel base inthe desired platform trough 164.

FIGS. 8A, 8B and 6: For each swing arm 158 the handle of the levered cam178 on the locking swivel assembly 176 is raised to allow insertion ofthe swing arm to the vice jaws (182, 186) of the locking swivelassembly. The swing arm is inserted while being watchful to not insertthe end of the swing arm that has the button locking hole 214 of FIG.9B, should the swing arms have locking holes.

The approximate desired operating length of the swing arm is thenadjusted by sliding it inward or outward at the locking swivel assembly176. The swing arm is then rotated parallel to the floor through to theapproximate angle at which to connect the tower assembly 160 to theswing arm. At this time the levered cam 178 of the locking swivelassembly is left up, in the unlocked position for further adjustment ifnecessary.

As FIGS. 9A and 9B show, for tower assemblies 160 with swing arm studs210, the tower assembly is attached and locked to the swing arm 158 bydepressing the spring button 212 in the swing arm stud and sliding theswing arm onto and along the stud until the button locking hole 214 ofthe swing arm allows the spring button to come up through the lockinghole.

FIG. 10: With the swing arm 158 having been rotated through to itsapproximate desired floor position and loosely held in place by theprocedure so far, a sliding collar 226 and its integral canistermounting assembly 222 and affixed spherical electromagnet canisterassembly 162, can be slid down over the top of the tower 220 and securedin position by pulling back on the sliding collar lock 228 and loweringthe collar down along the tower. The spring loaded bolt of the slidingcollar lock is then released into the appropriate locking hole 230.

FIGS. 6, 8: Assuming the embodiment does not utilize an offset vicesystem 232 (FIG. 14), the user at his discretion may give the swing arm158, along with the tower assembly 160, an adjustment for floorposition. This can occur by comparing position of the handle of an oar102 installed at a sphere 104 in a mounted canister assembly 162 to thedesired position of the handle when the embodiment is to be used. Usingthis as a gage, adjustments can be made as necessary.

FIG. 8: At the swing arm's locking swivel assembly 176 the handle of thelevered cam 178 on the swivel assembly is then lowered, locking theswing arm tightly in the jaws (182, 186). Relocating a tower assemblyupon the floor, or adjusting the height of the electromagnet canisterassembly on a tower (FIG. 10) during an exercise session is easily done.

FIG. 14: If the tower assemblies do have the offset vice system 232 thatadjustably fastens the swing arm 158 to the floor plate 218, therewouldn't be button locking holes 214 (FIG. 9B) in the swing arms, so itwouldn't matter which end of the swing arm is inserted to the lockingswivel assembly 176 at the swivel base 156 (FIG. 8A). The procedure tofasten the swing arm to the tower assembly's floor plate would then bethe same as for fastening the swing arm at the platform 152 end of thearm. The swing arm is inserted to the vice jaws (182, 186) at thetower's floor plate, but for adjustment purposes, perhaps not yet lockedinto place.

FIGS. 8, 14 and 15: Assume the embodiment uses the offset vice system232 at the floor plates 218. With the swing arms 158 inserted to theplatform's locking swivel assemblies 176, and with that assemblies'levered cams 178 unlocked, the arms can be swung to the angularpositions desired on the floor and the lengths then adjusted by slidingthe swing arms within the jaws of the platform's locking swivelassemblies 176. The levered cams at the platform's two locking swivelscan then be locked down. This sets the swing arms' angular positions inrelation to the platform, but not the towers' 220 distances from theplatform.

Now assume the swing arms are locked in place at the platform's 152swivel assembly 176. Referring to FIG. 15 the swing arms 158 in thisscenario would be fully extended at right angles to the platform. At theouter ends, the levered cam 178 of each tower assembly's vice jaws (182,186) of FIG. 14, is lifted to vertical, allowing the jaws to accept theinsertion of the tower assembly 160 ends of the swing arms.

The tower assemblies can then be slid along the stationary swing arms totheir desired locations (FIG. 15) using the oar-to-platform distances asa gage, and then locked in position. The offset vice system 232 allowseach tower assembly 160 to be able to be adjusted and used with greaterflexibility than if the swing arms are mounted to the floor plates 218without this system.

FIGS. 1, 6 and 10B: If not already done, a sphere 104 is placed upon thespherically contoured shell halves 106 of each electromagnet canisterassembly 162. An oar 102 is inserted to each sphere's oar tube 100 andcinched down with the lock ring 103. The gyro/accelerometers 421 can beinstalled to the oars.

FIGS. 6A and 6B: The power control module 420 is attached at the frontof one of the canister mounting assemblies 222 and plugged in to an ACoutlet. The interconnecting cables, if the system uses them, areattached at the canister assemblies 162.

Using the First Embodiment

The truly beneficial effects of this embodiment shout to the world.Unlike weights, which can only offer a downward force to be overcome,the present embodiment can offer resistive force in any direction inwhich the oars are moved. This is revolutionary. This is a new world forexercise enthusiasts and spells the future for aerobics and cardiotraining, slimnastics, endurance training, bodybuilding, even weightlifting . . . almost any physical development activity.

The upper and lower body can receive a complete workout, virtually freefrom the possibility of injury. From the young and athletic to thegeriatric, from the healthy to the physical therapy patient, and thosein hospitals . . . all will benefit immensely. The embodiment can beutilized by patients in hospital beds, and even in aquatic therapy, asit is able to be used under water in therapy pools. The power controlmodule 420, with its speech processing subsystem would not besubmergible, but the gyro/accelerometers can be made water tight.

With resistance provided efficiently with any of the oars' orientations,complementary muscle systems can be exercised. For instance, thecomplementary system to that needed to push overhead in a pressingmovement can then immediately be used to pull the oar handles downwardas a lat pull-down. This works for any and all exercise movements. Youcan have it both ways. You can actually have it myriad ways. You cannotdo this with free weights or weights with pulley systems. You cannot dothis with springy exercise systems or momentum driven systems.

The user can exercise one muscle system, and in continuous fashion moveinto other directions and muscle systems, even unrelated ones such astriceps and then calf muscles, and then the lower back muscles, and onto others. This opens the door to wonderful circuit training of musclegroups, even complementary groups, all over the body. A large variety ofdissimilar exercises can be strung together in ensembles. Curved motionscan be mixed with linear, pushing with pulling, horizontally rotatingwith bending, all thrown together in logical series or eclectic mix.Whatever is desired. And the resistance forces offered can be controlledand varied throughout or stay constant, at user discretion. There hasnever been anything like this system.

A List of Possible Verbal Commands and a Foreseen Problem

A vocabulary of commands to be understood by the speech recognitionprocessor may include, but isn't limited to, the following: “Initialize,Calibrate, Start or Begin, Stop or End, Terminate, Pounds—Plus (and thena force amount), Pounds—Minus (and then a force amount), Blend, New,Okay, Release, Any particular saved exercise name, Modify, Reserve,Save, Save as, Repeat, Reverse, Add zone, Subtract zone, Exit, Temporaryexit, Re-enter, Incorporate, Timer (and then a specific number ofminutes and seconds), Speak, Feedback, Delete, Accelerate”. Some ofthese terms are used in the following explanation of the embodiment'suse. It is possible that other words would be substituted for the abovefor ease of recognition by the processor. It is also contemplated thatthe user may develop a personal vocabulary to be used.

In a fitness club situation, where there may be multiple pieces of thisequipment operated concurrently, there is the possibility that a user,in giving verbal commands to the equipment he is operating, will havehis commands recognized by another speech processor nearby. This wouldobviously cause problems. It may be necessary for each piece ofequipment to be addressed with its own prefix, for instance “NumberEight . . . (and then the command)”. There are other things that couldbe done to solve this problem . . . perhaps directional microphones thatwill only pick up sound from particularly narrow corridors, or amicrophone sub-system located in one of the gyro/accelerometers attachedto an oar that will only pick up a voice in close proximity.

Using the First Embodiment . . . Non-Tolerance Zone Exercises

After setting up, the gyro/accelerometers 421 can be turned on. Thepower control module 420 can be turned on and then initialized to zeroforce at the spheres by giving the verbal command to initialize.Initialization sets the magnetic force at the spheres to zero at anytime while the power control module is turned on.

Initialization is different than calibration. Initialization is usefulwhen oar orientations are not important to the exercise, in other words,for non-tolerance zone exercises. These occur as two types: As verballydirected free-form exercises, which are those that have force changesbrought about only by spoken command. The other type is timed exercises,which are exercises that have force changes according to elapsed time,not oar position.

Initializing the system can be done with the oars in any position. Toinitialize the system all that is necessary is to give the verbalcommand “initialize” or its equivalent at any time while the powercontrol module 420 is on. This will clear any applied forces at themagnetic spheres, setting them to zero. The oars can then be moved inany direction without resistance, and force can be added with theknowledge that that particular force was added to “zero”, not apre-existing force.

An important reason for a distinction between initialization andcalibration is that calibration is reserved for exercises that utilizetolerance zones and oar position. Since tolerance zone exercises requirethe onboard batteries to be powering the Patent gyro/accelerometers inorder to produce position vectors, there is battery drain during theseexercises. Free-form and timed exercises don't use thegyro/accelerometers, so don't cause battery drain, allowing the gyros'onboard batteries to hold their charge longer. The method and importanceof calibration is brought out in the section “USING THE EMBODIMENT . . .Tolerance zone exercises”, below.

Timed Exercises

Timed exercises use forces that have been verbally designated to beapplied for desired time increments, independent of oar position. Thetime duration at each force level is controlled by a timer in the powercontrol module. Timed exercises can be created, saved and called up foruse.

As an example of a timed exercise the user may give the command:“Timer—two minutes—force twenty. Timer—one minute—force fifteen.Timer—thirty seconds—force ten. Save as Cool-Down”. This will create andsave an exercise regime with the name “Cool-Down” that utilizes thosethree forces, each for the specified time duration, without regard tooar position. At the end of the three time periods the applied forcewill go to zero.

The user can go through the regime right away after creating and savingit. He would be able to take the oars in any direction for the specifiedtimes and with those forces. He could repeat this regime by saying“Repeat” at the end of the time periods. Or possibly the system willeither be powered down by giving the verbal command “Terminate” orsimply letting it be shut down automatically from inactivity.

During any period of a timed regime, it is possible to verballyinstitute and save force changes. If for instance in the midst of thefirst period, that of two minutes and a force of twenty pounds, the userdecides to increase the force to twenty-five pounds, he may say“Modify—force twenty-five—save”. Even if only a short time remains inthe two minute leg, the force will become twenty-five pounds from thatpoint forward until the end of that particular time period. It will bethe force applied during the entirety of that time period for all futureuses of that particular saved exercise until modified again.

And the time segments can be changed on the fly. If during the twominute period the user wants to lengthen the time at that force to threeminutes, she may say: “Modify—timer—three minutes—save”.

Free-Form Exercises

Use of the embodiment for non-timed, non-saved, ad hoc exercises withouttolerance zones is practically unlimited. And though this sectionconcerns free-form exercises, the particular movements mentioned canalso be incorporated to timed exercises and tolerance zone exercises.

After the power control module 420 is powered on and initialized, simplyby speaking the word: “Initialize”, there is no magnetic force appliedat the spheres 104. The user can bring the oars 102 to the desiredexercise start position. Next the control system is told how muchfrictional force to produce at the spheres by the user speaking forinstance, “Pounds—twenty”. In metric countries the verbal commands forthe numeric amounts would be in kilograms and probably in a differentlanguage.

It is to be noted that any exercise mode sees more than the verballycommanded attractive force being applied at the spheres 104. This isbecause the oars are in reality levers and are being used to cause thespheres to overcome a sliding friction, not directly lift a weight froma rest position as with free-weights. So that in order to create astated “felt” force at the end of the oars something in excess of thatforce must be applied at the surfaces attracted to each other at thesliding interfaces of the spheres 104 and spherical shell halves 106.

Also, the force of twenty pounds in the above example is predeterminedto be felt orthogonally (at a right angle) to the oar handles, just aswith a dumbbell or barbell being lifted straight up. This necessitatesthat forces applied at the spheres undergo compensation for the angularsweep through which the oars move. This will be explained more fully inthe section: “USING THE EMBODIMENT . . . Tolerance zone exercises”.

As mentioned, in free-form exercises the user can move the oars in anyarbitrary direction and any scheme of movements, changing resistancesverbally as desired.

In quick overview of some exercises benefiting the arms and upper body,while the user is standing with the oars directed straight inward towardher from the sides at 90°, at approximately shoulder height, somecombination movements she can do with an overhand grip of the handlesare:

military presses and then lat pull-downs; triceps kick-ups (extensions)from behind the neck and then overhead reverse curls to bring the oarsback to behind the neck; triceps extensions from shoulder height,pushing downward to the waist and then reverse curls bringing them backup to the start position; pressing to overhead and then straight armpull-overs to the waist and then back to overhead; overhand rowing;chest-pulls from waist to chest height and then pushing the oars backdown, simulating dips.

All of these and more can be done while standing in place. If the gripis reversed to underhand, regular curls plus relatives of each of theabove movements can be accomplished. And note that all of the differentmovements can be joined together in ensembles to form non-stop series.

The following are a sampling, categorized within three body areas. Aswith any oar movements, they can also be performed as saved exerciseswith tolerance zones for automatically changing forces or within timedperiods. Imagination really is the limit. Note the muscle groupcomplementarity as these movements are performed in bi-directionalcouplets.

The Upper Body

While standing upright with the oar handles nearly touching and the oarsdirected in a line across the user's front, and the spheres 104 at aboutwaist height, a flaring movement from the thighs up to where the oarsare steeply inclined above the head can be done with the arms straightor bent, and then returned in reverse fashion back to thigh height.

With the oars approaching the user from either the front or the rear, aflaring movement can be accomplished from a standing bent position,beginning from knee height, rotating the oars upward and outward to thelimit of reach, and then back down.

With the oars coming in from the sides, while standing or reclining,straight or bent arm pull-overs, and then returns to the startingposition can be performed. Rowing and presses/pull-downs can be addedfor great benefit.

The Trunk Area

With the oars either spaced apart and parallel from the front or rear,or in a line across the front coming in from the sides, front bendingstiff-leg crunchies can be performed while standing, and then theircomplementary stiff-legged dead-lifts in returning.

If the spherical electromagnet canister assemblies 162 are lowered ontheir towers 220, which have been rotated around on the floor to beclose to each other, and the oars brought to a substantially verticalorientation and held to the chest, twisting movements can be performedby rotating the trunk and shoulders in clockwise/counter-clockwisemotions. This can also be done with one oar. An important feature isthat the spine is not compressed by this exercise, as when having aweight bar atop the shoulders and twisting to perform “helicopters”, soa harmful grinding of the vertebrae against each other isn't as likely.

And again, if the oars are held in the near vertical position, but whileextending the arms out in front, the trunk-twisting benefit of theexercise can be amplified. Too, the towers can be spaced apart and thearms outstretched from the sides while gripping the inclined oars andtwisting from side-to-side. Spacing the towers apart and extending thearms to the sides will cause resistance to be transmitted through theshoulders, upper chest and upper back, to their benefit also.

Side bends can also be done to good effect with this configuration. Witharms straight out from the sides, standing side bends can be done thatuse the trunk muscles to do pulls from one side while simultaneouslycrunchies are being done toward the other side. And then reverse. Andagain, notice that the grinding from spinal compression would beminimized. Six-pack abs can be developed using these various trunkexercises.

The Legs and Lower Body

With the oars directed toward the user from any direction at shoulderheight, squats may be performed. And the abdominals, chest and shoulderswill benefit from their stressing in nearly isometric fashion during thedownward movement. If desired the exercise can be performed withnegligible or even zero resistance offered on the way down and aresistance designated for the upward return. If there is resistance inboth directions there won't need to be as much care as to body balance,since the oars will serve as steadying devices for the user, providingmuch greater safety compared to a weight bar on the shoulders.

The canister assemblies 162 can be placed at waist height or lower onthe towers 220, and squats performed with the oars held close at theuser's sides with arms stiff, or the oars held between the legs. Again,negligible or even zero resistance can be chosen for the dipping part ofthe squats. Ankle raises for the lower legs may be performed with theoars in similar positions.

From the standing position, with the canister assemblies lowered on thetowers, and the oars directed at the user from any angle, the oarhandles can be fastened to the feet or ankles by Velcro© bands orspecial shoes or slippers. This allows knee raises and then leg pressesdownward to return, a pulling upward and then a complementary pushingdownward movement.

While standing, with the oars fastened to the feet and coming toward theuser from the front, and the legs straight, leg swings to the sides in aflaring movement, and returns, are a terrific toner and shaper, workingthe thighs, hips, buttocks and lower back in complementary fashion.

With oars oriented toward the user from the sides and fastened at thefeet, stiff-legged front raises, also called “goose stepping”, can beperformed. And then back-swings that pass beyond the vertical centerlineof the body, can be performed. This will work the abdominals, thighs,hamstrings and lower back. And also with this oar orientation, standingleg curls to the rear can be performed, and complementary leg extensionsin return, straightening the leg back down to the standing position.

With the canister assemblies 162 lowered and the oars coming in from thesides and fastened to the feet or ankles, the user can perform heelslides by sitting or lying at platform 152 level and drawing the heelsup toward the buttocks and then performing presses to thestraight-legged position with the heels still on the platform, or evenelevated slightly. A fantastic bicycle movement that is fullycomplementary, with the feet elevated above the platform, is able to beperformed while the user is lying on her back or even sitting in achair.

With a Crossbar Attachment

By attaching a cross-bar to the oars that can slide along a portion ofthem in a way that doesn't allow contact with the gyro/accelerometers,an expanded exercise experience is provided, one that can closelyresemble the use of a barbell, but without the dangers . . . but alsoexperiences that are completely unique and unattainable otherwise.

One example of this uniqueness is the following: If the sphericalcanister assemblies 162 are at near shoulder height and the oarsapproach the user from the front and are spaced apart so as to beroughly in parallel, the crossbar allows a very different twistingmovement. Starting from a horizontal crossbar orientation, and with armsextended to the front with a wide grip, the crossbar can be rotated insubstantially the vertical plane, something like an aircraft propellerin a partial rotation. For instance the right arm could be rotatedcircularly upward to the left, while the left arm is rotated downward tothe right, as far as comfort allows, and then reversing in the clockwisedirection . . . and repeating. This will benefit the shoulders, upperchest and trunk areas.

Another interesting exercise with a crossbar is for the user to standbetween the oars, which pass in parallel along the user's sides from therear, and grasp the bar at the user's front with arms that are straight.To begin, bring the crossbar downward while bending forward with eitherbent legs or straight, and then come back to the upright position whilebringing the crossbar from the knees to the overhead position with armsstraight. Reversing and repeating benefits the abdominals, shoulders andback areas.

These two examples are simple two motion exercises. There are of coursemovements with a crossbar that haven't been mentioned that will benefitthe upper, middle and lower body. Users will come up with personalizedexercises to suit individuality.

Further Flexibility with the Embodiment in Free-Form Exercises

Assume the user starts out with twenty pounds of resistance in somefree-form exercise. If the words “Pounds—plus three” are spoken at anypoint, or some other amount, the control module 420 will instantlyincrease the force by three pounds, providing twenty-three pounds ofresistance. This becomes a new constant resistance applied at the oarhandles until the amount is changed by another verbal command.

A similar procedure is used for decreasing the poundage, where“Pounds—minus five” may be the command. Of course a decrease cannot takethe resistance to below zero. “Pounds—zero” is a valid command, removingall resistance. Resistance can then be added back if desired.

Further, the user may desire to change the resistance at one of the oars102 and not the other. For instance in the case of the right oar, thespoken command “Right—pounds—plus four” may be given. Or to decreaseonly the left side's force, the command “Left—pounds—minus two” wouldbring that about. And it's possible to use only one oar for an exerciseor series of them. This merely requires that the appropriate command bespoken, such as “Right—pounds—fifteen; Left—pounds—zero”, when desiringto use only the right oar. And too, the left oar could simply not beused, its magnet changing force all the while as though being used.

Should the speech processor be programmed for it, and the hardwareprovided, if the user forgets the amount of force currently beingapplied, as can happen, the voice command “Speak” or “Feedback” couldcause the control module 420 to audibly recount the force amount inpounds through a speaker. Adjustments to the applied force can then beconveniently made if desired.

Something Very Unique

Prior to this the accelerometers haven't played a prominent part beyondcalibration. But their incorporation to the system provides anopportunity to create an exercise device even further differentiatedfrom anything else on the market.

As an example using the two zones at the extremes of FIG. 19A, that is,zone 1′, 2 at the top and zone 4′, 5 at the bottom, an exercise caneasily be created . . . with automatic force changes . . . that doesn'tutilize tolerance zones.

Let's say the user wants 30 pounds of resistance on the way down and 40pounds on the way up. Starting at the top and with the oars stationary,she might say: “Accelerate—30 pounds”. Moving the oars under that forceto the bottom and stopping, she could then say: “Accelerate—40 pounds.”The accelerometer, sensing whenever the oars' acceleration comes tozero, in being about to reverse direction, will trigger the powercontrol processor to apply the appropriate force at the spheres 104. Itis possible to bring about force changes at more than two places and inmore than two directions, even continuously along a circuit such as acircle, if the system is programmed to do so.

Using the First Embodiment . . . Tolerance Zone Exercises

Calibration . . . Reasons for calibration and its procedure

Calibration has to be performed in order to create and save exercisesbased on oar orientation. With these exercises the system needs to knowthe orientations of the oars during automatic force changes. This isillustrated by the following three arguments:

ONE: The tolerance zones are created at fixed, repeatable oarorientations in space. They are spaced apart in various directions fromeach other. They must be referenced to some standard. Without areference standard to tie the orientations of the oars during the set-upcycle to the user's later exercise sessions, he will have much troubletrying to consistently attain the tolerance zones . . . improperreadings will be provided. A true reference orientation is independentof the user's position at any time and also independent of the combinedexercise positions of the towers 220 and the spherical canisterassemblies 162.

TWO: The user may perform an exercise in a different bodily position orfootprint on the platform than during the set-up cycle. Without anindependent reference orientation and the monitoring of an exercise'sstarting oar position, the exercise could be started from a positionthat will not allow completion of the regime.

For instance, for an exercise with both oars there may be tolerancezones created at the top of a pressing movement, with immediatelyfollowing zones created 4 ft. lower. Assume that these lower zones wouldnormally cause the oars to be brought to positions where they almosttouch the rims of the spherical shell halves 106. Then if the user wereat some time to begin the exercise from a starting orientation lowerthan during the set-up cycle . . . either because of their then bodyposition or canister assembly 162 height . . . the oars may not reachdown to the tolerance zones 4 ft. lower without prying the magneticspheres 104 away from their being held magnetically in their shellhalves. The system needs to know from where the starting point is beingattempted so that alerts can automatically be given.

THREE: Keep in mind that it is desired to have the embodiment provide aconstant resistance for the user to overcome during oar movement unlessverbally commanded otherwise. This is to emulate the constant resistanceof free weights. Assume, using FIG. 15A for illustration, that the oarsform a straight line across the user's front and the user is standingdirectly in line with the two swing arms 158, with the hands touchingthe chest in an overhand grip of the oars. Assume also that the spheresare at shoulder height so that the oars are nearly horizontal.

Now in pushing the oars away to the front to fully extended armpositions, the first six inches will require less strength per inch ofthe hands' travel than the last six inches. This is because the user'sforce vector is at 90° to the oars' orientations at the beginning, andis at less than that, perhaps 60°, when finishing the movement.

What this means is that if at the beginning of the exercise the forceneeded to push away at 90° to the oars has some numeric value, say “F”,that force is still going to be needed at 90° to the oars at the end ofthe pressing movement. But at the end of the movement the user'sstraight ahead push is at 60° to the oars. So now the user has to supplyforces (force vectors) in two directions. One direction is stillstraight ahead of him as originally, and the other is at right angles tothat. This is the way to look at the contributions of component forcesthat go to make up the whole from a physics standpoint.

The total force supplied by the user is no longer F, but is now composedof two force vectors at right angles to each other, F′ and F″. Thesquare root of the sum of the squares of F′ and F″ equals F. That is,((F′){circumflex over ( )}2+(F″){circumflex over ( )}2){circumflex over( )}1/2=F. But in the user attempting to push straight ahead thearithmetic sum of the forces in the two orthogonal directions suppliedby the user is greater than F, that is (F′+F″)>F.

To capsulize this third argument, If the system is to maintain asubstantially constant felt resistance to the user through these angulardisplacements, as would be the case were free weights being lifted . . .in of course the vertical direction only . . . then the resistance forceat the spheres 104 will have to be different when the oars are at thenear-in position at the chest compared to the arms in the extendedposition.

The processor will need to compensate for the felt difference inrequired force over the angular sweep of the oars. The processor canonly do this if it ‘knows’ what orientations the oars have at anyinstant. And it can only know the orientations if it has been calibratedto some point of independent reference. Calibration forms a referencepoint that allows the system to compensate over all oar orientations,tailoring the forces to the angles of the oars.

Creating an Exercise with Tolerance Zones

With the power control module 420 and the gyro/accelerometers 421 turnedon, bring the oars 102 to the calibration position. This position isarbitrary with the user within the parameters of two conditions: ONE . .. the same calibration position needs to be used every time an exerciseoriginally calibrated to that position during its set-up cycle is calledup to be used. And TWO . . . the calibration positions for the two oarsshould be symmetrical and easily replicated. This is to say that theplacement of each swing arm 158, tower 220 and canister mountingassembly 222 is to be “opposite-handed” of its counterpart. These threecomponents on one side of the platform 152 are to be placed as mirrorimages of their counterparts on the other side, as far as positioningduring calibration. And the same positioning and procedure are to beeasily replicated each time.

The following is a useful component placement for calibration. It worksfor the stationary V-block swing arm mounting system 216 of FIGS. 9A andB and with only a slight modification for the offset vice mountingsystem 232 of FIG. 14.

Slide the swing arms 158 in to the center of the platform 152 so thatthey butt against one another at a mark at the platform's center. Thatmark should be provided in manufacture, one for each platform trough164. The swing arms will then be in a straight line at right angles tothe platform and symmetrically placed. Lock the swivel assemblies 176 tohold the swing arms in place.

A V-block mounting system 216 is always at maximum distance along theswing arms 158, but an offset vice system 232 may not already be. Slidethat system out to its greatest distance along the swing arms ifnecessary. Lock it down.

Bring the spherical canister mounting assemblies 222 to their lowestlocked positions on the towers 220. Rotate the oars upward to where theyare resting against the inner edge of the towers.

Issue the verbal command “Calibrate”. The gyroscopes and theaccelerometers are thus set to zero. Any electromagnetic force at themagnetic spheres 104 is also set to zero.

Once the gyro/accelerometers are set to zero every movement from then onduring the session will be processed and referenced to that zero. Theaccelerometer readings, in conjunction with the oar orientation readingsof the gyroscopes, are important for the system to know where thestarting tolerance zones are so they can be used.

The combination of the accelerometers and gyroscopes is sensitive to thetowers 220 being moved along the floor in any direction and the canistermounting assemblies 222 being moved to a different height aftercalibration. This combination of gyroscopes and accelerometers is usedto assess the spatial location of the starting tolerance zones. Once thelocations of the starting zones are known, the system can operate inreference to those locations. And compensation can be provided by theprocessor according to this information when necessary.

Once the spheres' 104 locations are fixed in space prior to beginningthe creation of an exercise by way of a set-up cycle or to use apreviously saved exercise, the starting zones are then fixed in spaceaccording to the oar locations desired at the beginning of the exercise.This means that the oars are brought to their exercise starting points.From this point forward the gyroscopes come into play rather than theaccelerometers. The gyros are free to accurately determine theorientation of the oars and cause the system to realize when the othertolerance zones are entered, and to provide the data used for automaticchanges of force.

The Set-Up Cycle

FIGS. 19A and 19B are an example of a regime's set-up cycle to becreated and saved.

After calibration the swing arms 158, the towers 220 and the sphericalcanister assemblies 162 can be brought to their desired use positions,which for the regime of FIGS. 19A and 19B could be slightly less thanshoulder high. The handles of the oars 102 are held with an overhandgrip and brought to their starting positions near the shoulders.

At the verbal command “Start” the gyro/accelerometers send the startingzone's oar orientation to the processor. At that command a tolerancezone is created for the oars starting positions. This point is areference orientation for locating the other tolerance zones of theregime.

At each stopping point of an oar a verbal command assigning a forcelevel is usually given. If, say, Twenty-five pounds is designated at astopping point, the processor would know to relate that force to thattolerance zone to bring about a change to that amount from a previousresistance force during actual runs of this exercise. Forces areassigned in this manner throughout the set-up cycle at the temporary oarstopping points. The exercise, with all of its tolerance zones and forcechanges is then saved.

Some Interesting Features

It will occur that the user's entrance to a zone will cause an alert andthen the user will take the oar in the reverse direction, exiting thezone along a path in substantially the opposite direction of theentrance path it had just come in on.

This is what happens when the last tolerance zone in a string is reachedand the processor alerts . . . for instance at the end of the standingcrunchier at the bottom of the regime of FIG. 19A, zone 4′, 5. The oaris then brought back up out of the zone in substantially the reverse ofits entrance direction, causing the magnetic force to be applied thatwas called for during the set-up when the oar was moving in thatparticular reverse direction, 5 to 5′ of FIG. 19A.

Because of the right side of FIG. 18, the oar can continue on backthrough all of its previously traversed zones in reverse order,retracing the set-up cycle's movements in heading back toward thestarting zone. This means it re-enters the various zones, this time inthe return direction, which is in reverse of their exit data sets in theoutward bound or forward direction. The processor is alerted at thevarious oar stopping points and then the oar passes out of the zones inthe reverse of their entrance data sets, for instance from 6 to 6′ ofFIG. 19A and then from 1 to 1′.

In this fashion, cycling through the zones of FIG. 19A fromtop-to-bottom, then bottom-to-top, can occur an unlimited number oftimes, with each compliant passage through a zone in the forwarddirection and then in the reverse, producing the force changesinstituted during the set-up cycle.

A Deviation from the Set-Up Cycle of FIG. 19A

After arriving at the bottom, which is zone 4′, 5 of FIG. 19A, the usermay want to go from there directly to zone 1′, 2 at the top, and thendirectly back down to zone 4′, 5 at the bottom again, and then repeatbetween only those two positions, top and bottom. This is allowed. Thechanges to force will automatically occur. Any two or more zones can beused from a multi-zone regime to form a repeatable, temporarymini-regime during use. The zones merely need to be entered and exitedcompliantly. But an undesired zone shouldn't be accidently compliantlygone through, otherwise the force will be changed to that of themistakenly activated zone and remain that way until a further zone,hopefully a desired zone, is compliantly activated.

Tolerance zones can be created and yet not have a force level assignedto them at their creation. By stopping an oar temporarily at desiredpoints during the set-up run, and then continuing on without verballyassigning a force, a tolerance zone is reserved for that stopping point,and can have a force change assigned to it at a later time, which may ormay not occur, per the user's discretion. Until a change of force isassigned to a zone it is ‘invisible’ during an exercise regime, causingno change of force.

And new tolerance zones can be created within already existing savedexercises at any later time. And force changes at the zones can bemodified or discarded verbally at any time.

Individual movements would usually be strung together in a series thathas a change of oar direction and resistance at each tolerance zone,such as in FIG. 19A as a whole. It is also possible that within a singlemovement of an exercise . . . as an example within the straight pressupward from shoulder height, going from 1 up to 1′ of FIG. 19A . . .that there could be several tolerance zones created by the user alongthat path. Each short segment could see a change of resistance. A seriesof short straight segments going from shoulder height to overhead, allin the same direction and linked together at their tolerance zones,could be created that would have an increase or a decrease along theway.

These changes of resistance could be stepwise changes . . . discretechanges that are individually noticeable, or the resistance changescould be caused to blend seamlessly into a continuous, smooth change offorce. A stepwise change of force, or a blending, could take placewithin any part of an exercise, whether linear or curved.

Discrete steps of resistance change are brought about in the same way asordinary resistance changes . . . by simply momentarily stopping an oarduring the set-up cycle and calling out a force. Blending requires aseparate verbal command. At an appropriate point the use of the word“Blend” can be used to accommodate this.

As mentioned, the user may not feel to assign a resistance change atevery tolerance zone created during the set-up cycle. Those tolerancezones may be left in reserved status to have forces included at a latertime. All that is necessary to reserve a zone is for the user to stopthe oars temporarily at a unique point along the set-up cycle and give averbal command, perhaps “Reserve”.

The tolerance zone is created there and both first and second sets ofposition data are saved, together with the stopping point location, justas when a force change is commanded. During some later run of the actualexercise the user may stop temporarily at the reserved position and givea verbal command to the processor, perhaps “Modify, force, fifteen”, toincorporate that force. This then becomes an integral part of theexercise regime,

Another interesting capability is illustrated as follows: Perhaps theuser desires to exercise with a saved program involving one oar 102,moving in a circuit that is an equilateral triangle, one corner of thetriangle being directly in front of her and close in, with the other twocorners spaced equally to the sides and out from her. She is standingand the electromagnet canister assembly 162 is lowered all the way downon its tower 220 with the oar at a nearly vertical orientation.

Grasping the oar while it is in the zone to her left with both hands,and with arms outstretched, she could begin the exercise by compliantlyexiting the start zone at her left, by twisting at the waist and using aprogrammed 15 pounds of force for example. With the oar reaching thetolerance zone at the right side of the triangle, and alerting theprocessor, she could then pull the oar back toward her at 60° with adifferent programmed force, say 25 pounds, to compliantly entering thezone at her immediate front. Then after alerting in that zone, tocomplete the clockwise circuit, she could compliantly push away, exitingat 60° to her left with for instance 18 pounds, compliantly entering thestarting tolerance zone. She may repeat this triangular circuit as manytimes as desired.

The power control module could be programmed to create a mirror image ofall poundage by recognizing a simple verbal command, perhaps the word“Reverse”. If spoken, the user could then go around the circuit in thereverse direction, counter-clockwise, encountering the resistances inthe same order as in the clockwise direction.

And if desired, the user could enter a period of going back and forthbetween two zones of this triangular exercise. Perhaps she is going fromleft to right at the top of the triangle with arms extended, havingcompliantly exited the tolerance zone at her left.

15 pounds is the only force the system knows to apply between the twozones at the top. When reaching the zone on the right there is no forcechange in going back to the left. This is because she doesn't exit thezone on her right in compliant fashion for bringing the oar to her closefront. She goes back to her left with arms outstretched instead. Whenshe compliantly enters the zone on her left and alerts the processor,she can then exit the zone back toward the one on her right with thesame 15 pounds of resistance. She can go back and forth in this fashion.

And should she want to re-enter the regime's original sequence ofmovements to continue with it, she can simply proceed from one of theregime's programmed zones and compliantly enter the next zone in thesequence as though not having taken a break from the saved program.

The ability to deviate from the sequence of any program and re-enter atwill is a general feature of the embodiment. The same goes for her beingable to temporarily leave a regime's movements completely and thenre-enter. Perhaps she decides to move the oar in a circular motion tothe left, beginning from the zone in close to her front. Whatever forcewas being applied at the time of departure from the programmed regime iscontinually applied until re-entry to the regime, which will occur at acompliant entrance at some programmed zone of the regime, an alert andthen a compliant exit toward the next zone in sequence. This allows forgreat flexibility.

A Second Ferromagnetic Embodiment

A second embodiment utilizes cylindrically contoured ferromagneticcontact surfaces. The drawings and discussion of this second embodimentdo not include the detailed discussion of the operation of the powercontrol module 420 or the gyro/accelerometer/wireless transmitters 421as the first embodiment's drawings and discussion do, though it isanticipated that those systems will be incorporated in this secondembodiment. In this second embodiment optical movement sensors 150 areadditionally utilized to track movement and are described.

FIG. 20A shows a second embodiment that utilizes components of the firstembodiment. The spherical electromagnet canister assemblies 162,depicted at the bottom of drawing 20A are as those in the firstembodiment. Those canister assemblies 162 have been incorporated here tofacilitate overall flexibility of the embodiment.

The spherical canister assemblies 162 are mounted to a platform 310.This platform does not have the platform positioning troughs 164 nor thelocking swivel base 156 of the first embodiment (See FIG. 7). The secondembodiment's oars 302 are different than the oars 102 of the firstembodiment in that the surfaces of this second embodiment's oars 302 areferromagnetic. As mentioned, no gyro/accelerometers are depicted, thoughthey could be incorporated along with a power control module thatoperates similarly to that of the first embodiment. FIG. 20B is anenlargement of the external view of a cylindrical electromagnet canisterassembly 304 shown in FIG. 20A, along with a portion of its oar 302 anda u-joint 306 between the cylindrical electromagnet canister assembly304 and a connecting bar 308 used to convey a user's physical effort tothe system.

Oars 302 are removably affixed to the spherical canister assemblies 162.These oars 302 differ from the oars 102 of the first embodiment in thatthe oars 302 are ferromagnetic over a portion of their lengths, at leastat their exteriors, and are integral parts of the electromagneticcircuit providing exercise resistance. The oars 302 are attracted to andtransmit magnetic force produced by an electromagnet 318 contained ineach of the cylindrical electromagnet canister assemblies 304. Thiselectromagnet 318 is here designated a gripper electromagnet todifferentiate it from the electromagnet of the first embodiment.

The cylindrical electromagnet canister assemblies 304 are able to beslid all along the length of the oars 302. That full length movementwouldn't be inhibited by a gyro/accelerometer being used, since the gyroor gyros would need to be installed along the connecting bar 308 todetect compound movement. Two u-joints 306 are affixed to thecylindrical canister assemblies 304 and to the connecting bar 308, withthe connecting bar running between the two cylindrical canisterassemblies 304. The connecting bar 308 provides hand holds for the user.Power cable 112 of FIGS. 20B and 21 supplies electrical power to thegripper electromagnet 318 of FIGS. 21A and 21B within each canisterassembly, and cable 151 of FIGS. 20B and 21 sends data to a processor(not shown) for controlling the power of the gripper electromagnet 318.

FIGS. 21A and 21B depict external views of one cylindrical electromagnetcanister assembly 304 and a portion of a magnetic oar 302. Power cord112 and sensor cable 151 are also shown.

In FIG. 21A, a two part cylindrical canister body 312 is of anon-magnetic material, such as plastic or carbon fiber, and is of twohalves joined along their height. Bands 314 are placed around thesecanister body halves, holding them together at top and bottom.

FIG. 21B is a partially exploded view of FIG. 21A and shows anelectromagnet cover 316 separated from the canister body halves 312.Four screws 324 hold the cover to the canister body halves 312. When theelectromagnet cover 316 is installed to the assembled canister body 312,four cover blocks 322, which are integral to the cover 316, are inpositions adjacent above and below four flat horizontal surfaces 320 ofthe gripper electromagnet 318, and help to hold the electromagnet 318 inplace when power is not applied.

The gripper electromagnet 318 is free-floating and can rest upon thebottom of the cylindrical canister body window 338 when theelectromagnet 318 is not powered. Also holding the electromagnet inplace when not in use are the cover blocks 322, which theelectromagnet's flat horizontal surfaces 320 are able to rest upon whenthe electromagnet 318 is not being pulled into the oar 302 by themagnetic field it generates. When in use, the electromagnet is preventedfrom excessive movement by the proximal fit all around it of thecylindrical canister body window 338. The amount that the electromagnet318 can move when in use is sufficient to allow positionalself-adjustment to allow maximum magnetic field passage through theferromagnetic surfaces in forming a magnetic circuit.

The cover blocks 322 are guides to keep the electromagnet in properalignment should it move backward in the cylindrical canister bodywindow during times of non-use. The cover blocks are slightly furtheraway from the four flat surfaces 320 of the electromagnet 318 than isthe periphery of the canister body window 338, so that the cover blocksdo not contact the horizontal surfaces 320 of the electromagnet 318while the device is in use, but the canister body window 338 does havecontact with those horizontal surfaces. When the device is not in use itmay be that the electromagnet will move backward in the canister bodywindow 338, contacting the two lower cover blocks 322.

FIG. 22 is a partially exploded view. The bands 314 of FIG. 21A areomitted.

Sliding gripper halves 328 of high magnetic permeability (magneticconductivity), are shown in close proximity to a ferromagnetic oar 302.The gripper electromagnet 318 is shown in the position it would occupyif the canister body window 338 were containing it in the assembledsystem.

The electromagnet's pole faces 326 span the two sliding gripper halves328. The exercise resistance is produced by the electromagnet causingthe sliding gripper halves 328 to be forcefully drawn to themagnetically susceptible oar 302 along with the electromagnet. Thegripper halves 328 and electromagnet 318 each self-adjust in positionslightly to maintain maximum magnetic contact.

A separation (air gap) between the inner, concave surfaces of the twosliding gripper halves 328 and the oar 302 is shown with exaggerateddistance for the purpose of illustration, and the sliding gripperspacing gap 330 between the two gripper halves 328 themselves, mayappear different than would be the case at manufacture.

An optical movement sensor 150 of the type used in common opticalcomputer mice to sense directed movement is shown extending from amovement sensor cavity 149 in the right side cylindrical canister bodyhalf 312 for viewing clarity. It is anticipated by the present authorand intended that optical sensors, for instance cameras such as thetypes used in smart phones, can also be utilized to read predeterminedpatterns, such as barcodes or other markings on the oars or even thespheres, to judge directional movement and speed. Sensor cable 151 ofthe movement sensor 150 leads out of the canister body 312 andultimately to a processor for controlling power to the electromagnet318. Sensor port 329 is a hole in the right side sliding gripper 328that allows the movement sensor to have access to the surface of the oar302.

The concept of the embodiment allows for a plurality of electromagnets318 and properly sized sliding grippers 328 to be utilized within acylindrical canister body that would be able to accommodate such adesign.

During use each pole face 326 is in continuous contact along its lengthwith one of the two sliding gripper halves 328. The electromagnet 318spans the sliding gripper spacing gap 330. A magnetic circuit is createdthat goes from one lengthwise pole face 326, through the gripper half itis in contact with, into the ferromagnetic oar 302 and then out throughthe second sliding gripper half and into the other pole face 326 of theelectromagnet.

If it is necessary for a better balance of force, a second electromagnet318 can be used to span the sliding gripper spacing gap 330 on theopposite, back, side of the oar 302. The canister body 312 would have tobe designed accordingly. A multiplicity of differently designed or sizedelectromagnets, sliding grippers and canister body windows, could beincorporated to the embodiment. None are described here.

At the top and bottom of the cylindrical electromagnet canister assembly304 are sliding gripper flanges 332 of FIG. 22 that overlap the ends ofthe canister body halves 312 as the canister body halves come togetherin assembly. By way of this gripper flange overlap the canister body 312successfully transmits the mechanical force necessary to move thesliding gripper halves 328 along the lengthwise directions of the oars302. Without the sliding gripper flanges 332 the canister body halves312 and the electromagnet 318 would slip lengthwise along the slidinggripper halves 328 and beyond, destroying the system's exercise value.

When the cylindrical canister body halves 312 are assembled about thesliding gripper halves 328, there is a slight vertical clearance betweenthe canister body ends 336 (top and bottom) and the sliding gripperflanges 332. As a result the sliding gripper halves can move slightlywithin this vertical clearance. This aids in self-adjustment andmagnetic transfer.

Gripper flange screws 340 run through the sliding gripper flange slots334 in the sliding gripper flanges 332 and into tapped holes 342 in thecanister body halves 312, but don't advance so far as to squeeze thegripper flanges 332 tight to the canister body ends 336. The gripperflange screws 340 are used to prevent excessive rotation about the oar302 of the sliding gripper halves within the cylindrical electromagnetcanister assembly 304. The gripper flange slots 334 are of size andshape to allow the sliding gripper halves 328 a slight rotational andradial movement during use for self-adjustment and maximum magneticfield transfer.

FIG. 23 is a further exploded view of FIG. 22.

The sliding gripper halves 328 are shown separated from both the oar 302and the electromagnet 318, which is shown in its approximate useposition. The movement sensor 150 is shown mounted in its cavity 149within the right cylindrical canister body half 312.

FIG. 24 is an exploded view depicting an oar electromagnet 344 that hasoar electromagnet pole faces 346 that are oriented differently than thegripper electromagnet 318. The oar electromagnet's 344 pole gap 348 isvertical rather than horizontal. Note that magnetic lines of force willnow traverse vertically within the ferromagnetic oar 302 from forinstance the upper pole face 346 to the lower.

In the previous figures concerning this second embodiment the magneticforce lines entered the oar 302 and traveled horizontally from onesliding gripper half 328 to the other. Note the absence of slidinggripper halves 328, gripper flange screws 340 and tapped screw holes342.

The oar electromagnet 344 is applied directly on the ferromagnetic oar302. Direct application of the gripper electromagnet 318 to the oar 302is also possible without the use of sliding gripper halves 328 and isanticipated by the author.

As with the cylindrical electromagnet canister assembly 304, bands 314hold the canister body halves 312 together. A plurality of oarelectromagnets 344 can be utilized with an appropriate canister bodydesign.

Operation of the Second Embodiment

As mentioned above, this second embodiment's resistance control functionis not discussed in detail here, as the first embodiment's type of powercontrol module 420 and gyro/accelerometer/wireless transmitters 421 areutilized. Additionally, there are two optical pattern sensors 150 thatutilize optical mouse technology known in the computer industry. Inconjunction with the digital processor of power control module 420 theoptical sensors 150, one in each of the two cylindrical electromagnetcanister assemblies 304, recognize changing surface patterns as thesensors are moved along the ferromagnetic oar 302. This is similar towhen an optical mouse is moved around on its mouse pad at a user'scomputer desk. The output of the optical sensors 150 is incorporatedwith the output of a gyro/accelerometer/wireless transmitter 421removably attached at the connecting bar 308. These outputs areprocessed in the power control module 420 to control the embodiment'sresistances along with output from gyro/accelerometers 421 at theferromagnetic oars 302 as mentioned immediately below.

Spherical electromagnet canister assemblies 162 (FIGS. 10B and 20A) ofthe first embodiment are also used with this second embodiment. Thespherical canister assemblies 162 are removably mounted to a platform310, see FIG. 20A.

In operation this second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment,with the exception that the connecting bar 308 is now employed. Agyro/accelerometer/transmitter 421 of the type used with the firstembodiment is removably attached to the connecting bar 308, with onegyro accelerometer/transmitter also being removably attached at eachferromagnetic oar 302 as with the first embodiment's non-ferromagneticoars 102. Should the connecting bar 308 be removed from the oars 302 toallow the embodiment to resemble and be used similarly to the firstembodiment, the gyro/accelerometers 421 at the oars 302 will determineresistance changes.

During operation the spherical canister assemblies 162 provideresistance to moving the connecting bar 308 in any direction other thanalong the ferromagnetic oars 302 when they are stationary. That is whenboth oars 302 remain parallel to each other, no matter what their angleto the platform 310, and remain at that angle during a movement, thespherical canister assemblies 162 have no effect on the force necessaryto move the cylindrical electromagnet canister assemblies 304 along theoars 302. However, during connecting bar 308 movement, if the anglebetween either or both of the oars 302 and the platform 310 changes,then the resistive force at the moving spherical canister assembly (ies)162 is brought into play. The four sources of resistance: the twospherical electromagnetic assemblies 162 and the two cylindricalelectromagnetic assemblies 304, can provide levels of compoundresistance that are wonderful for performing interesting and unusualmovements.

This second embodiment allows a more compact space to be utilized duringexercises than does the first embodiment. For instance rowing whileseated can take place almost within the footprint depicted in FIG. 20A.The user merely needs to lower the oars 302 to approximately horizontal,have enough magnetic field strength applied at the spherical canisters162 to prevent the spheres 104 from being dislodged from their sphericalshell halves 106 when pulling the connecting bar 308 to him, and whileseated on the platform 310, alternately pull the connecting bar 308toward him and then push the bar away. If desired, some resistance canbe applied to his pushing the connecting bar 308 back to the startingpoint.

Not depicted, the spherical canisters 162 can be mounted to towers thatadjustably elevate the canisters above the platform 310 to resemble inpart the first embodiment (see FIG. 6) And too, the ferromagnetic oars302 and cylindrical electromagnet canisters 304 of this secondembodiment can be included as part of the first embodiment.

A Third Ferromagnetic Embodiment

FIGS. 25 and 26A and 26B depict a third embodiment, one with planarelectromagnet pole faces 408,410 being slid along planar ferromagneticsurfaces 404.

FIG. 25 is an overall view of this third embodiment. A planarelectromagnet assembly 402 is attached at each end of a connecting bar308 by u-joints 306. The connecting bar 308 provides hand holds for theuser and has control module 420 (not shown) andgyro/accelerometer/wireless transmitter 421 (also not shown) removablyattached. Battery packs, though not necessary, are contemplated asproviding power to the controllers and the electromagnets for a greaterdegree of freedom and convenience than long power cords would provide.There is attraction between the planar electromagnet assemblies 402 andferromagnetic planar surfaces 404, which are of material such as a metalor plastic or rubber that contains iron. Power from the control module420 is brought to each magnet assembly through power cables 112. Cable151 at each electromagnet assembly 402 is a data cable from an opticalmouse pattern sensor 150, FIG. 26B, of the type and technology wellknown in the computer industry. The ferromagnetic planar surfaces 404are removably affixed to a platform 406 and can remain either stationaryor adjustable in orientation during use.

FIG. 26A shows a slightly enlarged view taken from FIG. 25, illustratingprimarily the contact between the planar electromagnet assemblies 402and the ferromagnetic planar surfaces 404. An outer planar electromagnetpole face 408 in FIG. 26B is co-planar with an inner planarelectromagnet pole face 410. Co-planar faces 408 and 410 are insimultaneous contact with the ferromagnetic planar surface 404 duringuse.

FIG. 26B is an exploded view of the electromagnet assembly 402 of FIG.26A together with a u-joint 306 and a portion of connecting bar 308.Planar electromagnet housing 416 forms the core of the electromagnet,and is affixed to a u-joint 306. A wire lead-out hole 418 in housing 416enables lead-out for magnet windings 412. Magnet windings 412 are woundon windings form 414 and are tightly installed on the boss at the centerof the electromagnet housing 416 that terminates in inner electromagnetpole 410. Power leads 112 exit housing 416 by way of lead-out hole 418.At the upper left of FIG. 26B movement sensor cavity 149 is shown at thecenter of the inner planar electromagnet pole face 410. Movement sensor150 is shown both as extending out from the electromagnet housing 416 inthe lower left portion of the FIG. 26B and also installed in theassembled view to the lower right of that figure. Housing cavity 149 forthe sensor 150 is depicted at the upper left of FIG. 26B and elsewherein the figure.

Note that at the lower right of FIG. 26B the windings form 414 isrecessed inward from the two planar electromagnet pole faces 408 and 410when installed. This is so that the windings form 414 won't be abradedduring movement over planar surface 404. The windings form 414 can bepress fit and affixed with adhesive to the boss of the inner pole 410 orelse screwed on to it and adhered. This will make sure the windings form414 stays in place.

Ferromagnetic planar surfaces 404 can be of flexible construction andeither hung from above and tightly pulled from below or supported undertension from their sides or ends as volleyball or badminton nets wouldbe. Planar surfaces 404 can be made of cloth that contains aferromagnetic material such as iron. A flexible ferromagnetic surface404 could also be constructed by laminating a rubber or other deformablematerial, such as a flexible plastic, to a woven or other flexibleferromagnetic surface containing iron.

Flexible ferromagnetic planar surfaces 404 open up a range ofpossibilities, such as an exercise area with two long, spaced apartflexible substrates hung like parallel volleyball nets. This thirdembodiment can be forcibly moved by the user along the lengths of thesesuspended surfaces 404 by pushing or pulling while walking or running onthe floor. A harness that attaches the user to the connecting bar 308 isalso contemplated. Such harness can be helpful in building leg strength.

A multitude of planar electromagnetic assemblies 402 with theirconnecting bars 308 could be used between two flexible ferromagneticsurfaces 404 of the above two paragraphs simultaneously, allowing groupsof users to exercise, such as a football team. In addition to movinghorizontally, vertical movements can be undertaken. A battery pack topower the embodiment and to facilitate freedom of travel could be hungfrom the connecting bars 308 or worn by the users.

It is contemplated that ferromagnetic balls or rollers could be insertedor attached to both the outer planar electromagnet pole face 408 and theinner planar electromagnet pole face 410, such that the balls or rollerswould come into contact with a ferromagnetic planar surface 404 in lieuof pole faces 408, 410. This will provide a different feel for the userthan should the planar pole faces 408, 410 themselves contact theferromagnetic planar surface 404.

This third embodiment, when used with platform 406, has a smallerfootprint than the first embodiment. The ferromagnetic planar surfaces404 of FIG. 25, when stationary in their mountings to the platform 406,provide a wide range of connecting bar 308 movements. If theferromagnetic planar surfaces 404 can have their orientations adjusted,as an example, able to be rotated downward while remaining in the sameplanes as they are in FIG. 25, so that they form long fences beside theuser who is seated or lying upon the platform 406, the number of fullbody exercise movements will be increased.

Operation of the Third Ferromagnetic Embodiment

Omitted here is a discussion of the power control aspects, since it iscontemplated that the operation of the second embodiment's power controlsystem, incorporating power control module 420 andgyro/accelerometer/wireless transmitter 421, in addition to the secondembodiment's optical movement sensor 150, is similar in this thirdembodiment. The operation is as follows:

The user places himself between the two ferromagnetic surfaces 304,grasps the connecting bar 308, and with a chosen magnetic force appliedat the two planar electromagnet assemblies 402, he moves the connectingbar in a desired direction. The gyro/accelerometer/wireless transmitter421 (only one is necessary) relays positional and velocity informationto the power control module 420, which provides electric power to theelectromagnet assemblies 402 as appropriate for the frictionalresistance desired between the electromagnet pole faces 408 and 410 andthe ferromagnetic planar surfaces 404.

Should the ferromagnetic planar surfaces 404 are mounted to the platform406 flexibly, so that they can rotate and tilt, then a full range oftwisting motions can be incorporated, such as when the connecting bar308 is upon the shoulders and the user twists at the trunk while bendingforward and to the side, then returns and repeats to the other side.

And further, should the planar surfaces 404 be able to rotate toward thefloor directly in line with their common orientation, so that they formfences that touch the platform 406 along their long dimensions, rowingcan be accomplished, as well as sliding heel leg exercises and otherkinds of movements, both upper and lower body.

Using Vacuum to Generate Resistance

Air pressure at sea level is approximately 14.7 pounds per square inch.If a smooth, planar eight inch diameter circular metal plate or sheet islaid flat on another smooth, planar metal surface of the same or largersize, and the air between the two is pumped out, the resulting vacuumwill cause a pressure forcing the two together of (14.7)×pi×radiussquared=(14.7) (3.1416) (4{circumflex over ( )}2)=739 pounds.

An eight inch diameter sphere rotatably mated in an eight inch diameterupward facing hemispheric cup undergoes the same 740 pounds ofsubstantially downward pressure when the air between the two isevacuated. This downward pressure will result in frictional resistanceat the sphere/cup interface when trying to rotate the sphere in the cup.

It is possible that in this way a greater resistance can be created byrotating a sphere in a mated cup than by rotating one planar plate ontop of another. This is because the sphere, when forced downward, canact as a wedge that attempts to push the sides of the cup outward,creating great contact pressure.

The same technology that senses oar position and velocity and recognizesspeech as is used with the magnetic embodiments described above, can beused in this vacuum embodiment. A vacuum pump and valving system, notshown in the drawings, but commercially available, is needed to controlthe applied vacuum according to the sensing input/output and usercommand technology previously described.

An embodiment using a straight vacuum system is described. A hybridsystem that involves both vacuum and electromagnetism is also described.Each of these can use the same electronic user-defined resistancecontrol technology as the previous embodiments, as well as theassembling of the modules and the mechanical aspects of affixing thecomponents and positioning them for use as in the first two embodiments.

Specifically anticipated, but not described here in detail,modifications to both the vacuum and hybrid embodiments can be made towork with the planar and flexibly planar substrate surfaces of the thirdembodiment. An example is a vacuum embodiment that involves at least onesuction cup embedded within a body that is then slidably attached byvacuum to a planar plastic or metal surface. Vacuum holds the body tothe surface sufficiently to provide exercise resistance. Magnetism canbe incorporated in hybrid fashion by adding elements that are eitherpermanent magnets or electromagnetic, and having the planar substratesurfaces be magnetically susceptible.

A Fourth Embodiment: Vacuum

FIG. 27 depicts a resistance generating assembly, vacuum canisterassembly 600.

A vacuum oar 602 may be one that does not have a magneticallysusceptible portion, as with oar 102 of the first embodiment, or onethat does, as with oar 302 of the second embodiment. Oar 602 isremovably attached to a vacuum sphere 604. Sphere 604 can range inconstruction from being a hollow shell of metal or some other strongmaterial such as carbon fiber or glass impregnated plastic, to beingsolid plastic such as a bowling ball is.

During operation sphere 604 rests with a substantial portion of itssurface in contact with a spherically contoured vacuum cup 608, which ispermanently affixed to the concave side of a spherically contouredvacuum cup housing 610.

Vacuum cup 608 and vacuum cup housing 610 are permanently affixed andvacuum sealed to the inside of a vacuum canister 606. A vacuum line 612is placed over a canister vacuum port 614 of FIG. 28 and provides userdesignated negative air pressure to the canister 606.

FIG. 28 is an exploded view of the components of vacuum assembly 600.Vacuum sphere 604 and vacuum line 612 are not included. There are fourmounting holes 626 for bolts (not shown) to mount canister assembly 600to its appropriate substructure, for instance as with spherical canisterbody 108 of the first embodiment.

Vacuum cup 608, which has a substantially spherically contoured innersurface, can be made of a material such as rubber, or something stiffersuch as plastic or metal. A substantially flexible material such asrubber provides the advantage of not needing to be matingly contoured tothe vacuum sphere 604 by way of machining. It can be produced by themuch less expensive process of molding, as could a plastic vacuum sphere604.

Vacuum cup 608 has at least one channel port 620. The channel port is ahole extending through the wall of cup 608. On the concave surface ofvacuum cup 608 there is at least one channel 622 that forms a passagewayalong which air that is trapped between the vacuum sphere 604 and theinner surface of the cup 608 can travel to then be evacuated through achannel port 620.

As envisioned, there is a network of channels 622 that interconnectseach of the channel ports 620 to each other channel port 620, assumingthere is a plurality of them. Only a few of the interconnecting channels622 are shown here and in the next drawing. And only six channel ports620 are depicted, though more may be useful in the final product.

FIG. 29 shows the vacuum cup 608 having been set into the vacuum cuphousing 610, which provides a good contact fit. The cup housing 610 ismade of a stiff material such as a strong plastic or metal. Vacuum cup608 is permanently affixed to the cup housing 610 by adhesive. In doingthis the channel ports 620 of vacuum cup 608 are aligned with a likeamount of vacuum cup housing ports 624, which are through holes placedin cup housing 610.

The assembled vacuum cup 608 and vacuum cup housing 610 are placed intothe vacuum canister 606 in a press fit. Adhesive can be used topermanently affix the cup housing 610 to the vacuum canister 606, bothalong their rims and at the bottom exterior of cup housing 610.Gusseting can be used inside canister 606 to securely mount the cuphousing 610 to the canister 606 if necessary. If both cup housing 610and vacuum canister 606 are of plastic, sonic welding can be used alongtheir rims to hold cup housing 610 in place, additionally to anyadhesive and/or gusseting.

The vacuum canister assembly 600 is sealed against vacuum leak byadhesive and/or sonic welding, or some other sealant used at the rims ofthe vacuum cup 608, vacuum cup housing 610 and vacuum canister 606.

Vacuum line 612 is to be installed over canister vacuum port 614 andconnected to either a digitally or manually controlled vacuum pump.Vacuum canister assembly 600 mounts to the same mechanical supportstructure, interchangeably, with spherical canister body 108 of thefirst embodiment.

Operation of the Vacuum Embodiment

The use of the embodiment of FIGS. 27, 28 and 29 is the same as with thefirst electromagnetic embodiment of FIG. 1 through FIG. 19, save forthere now being a vacuum pump and regulator to generate frictionalresistance rather than an electromagnetic friction generating system.The same speech recognition, gyro/accelerometer technology, timedduration and manual input ability applies here as with the firstembodiment, so too any control functions given in the claims. The humanprocedures for operation are the same for this embodiment as for thefirst one.

A Fifth Embodiment: Vacuum and Electromagnetic Hybrid

FIG. 30 is of a hybrid canister assembly 700 for a hybrid vacuum andelectromagnetic exercise device. Depicted also are an associated hybridsphere 704 and a hybrid oar 702 affixed to hybrid sphere 704. Hybridsphere 704 is of a magnetically susceptible material, as in the case ofsphere 104 of the first embodiment. Hybrid oar 702 may be made of eithera non-magnetically susceptible material, as with oar 102 of the firstembodiment, or contain a magnetically susceptible material along aportion of its length, as does oar 302 of the second embodiment.

The hybrid sphere 704 is shown seated in hybrid spherical cup halves708. The tops of the cup halves 708 are shown near to the top of ahybrid canister 706. A hybrid canister vacuum port 710 and a portion ofan electromagnet power cord 712 are shown. An evacuation gap 720 is alsodenoted.

FIG. 31A is an exploded view of the hybrid canister assembly 700. Hybridspherical electromagnet assembly 707 is seen above hybrid canister 706.

The hybrid electromagnet assembly 707 is identical to the sphericalelectromagnet assembly 105 of the first embodiment, except for onemodification. The difference is that the hybrid electromagnet assembly707 has a vacuum channel network 722 incorporated in the concavesurfaces of each of the two spherical cup halves 708, while thespherical shell halves 106 of the first embodiment do not.

The channel network 722 is shown in FIGS. 31A and 31B only partially onone spherical cup half 708, whereas in production, channel network 722would be fully incorporated on both cup halves 708.

Vacuum channel network 722 provides passage out for air trapped betweenhybrid sphere 704 and each of the hybrid spherical cup halves 708 duringuse. Upon the trapped air entering the confined volume of the channelnetwork 722 in each cup half 708, the air is routed to, and sucked into,an evacuation gap 720 which is under negative air pressure.

The negative pressure results from a vacuum pump, not shown, drawing avacuum through a hybrid vacuum canister port 710 after the hybridelectromagnet assembly 707 and hybrid canister 706 are assembledtogether. Assembly 707 and canister 706 are vacuum sealed with aflexible seal at their adjacent exposed rims. FIG. 31B showselectromagnet assembly 707 positioned in canister 706. A flexiblesealant is not shown.

Electromagnet assembly 707 is secured to the floor of the canister 706by four bolts that pass through mounting holes 726 in the canister 706floor and into four threaded mounting holes 732 in electromagnetassembly 707.

A well 730 in the floor of canister 706 provides clearance for thebottom of electromagnet assembly 700, and does not form a through-hole.

When the electromagnet assembly 707 is mounted into the canister 706,the hybrid cup halves 708 fit loosely enough at the inner wall ofcanister 706 to allow automatic self-adjustment under use, providinggood transfer of the magnetic field from a first spherical magnetic poleface 734, into a cup 708, through the sphere 704, into the other cup 708and out into an oppositely poled spherical magnetic pole face 734, thesame as happens in the first embodiment.

There are two evacuation gap plugs 728 that protrude from the top of theinterior of the hybrid canister 706, down along the canister's height apredetermined distance. The gap plugs 728, fit into the evacuation gap720 when the electromagnet assembly 707 is mounted into the canister706, helping to seal the hybrid assembly 700 against vacuum leaks.

The plugs 728 fit into the evacuation gap 720 with a fit sufficient tohelp prevent vacuum loss, but also with enough tolerance to allowautomatic self-adjustment of the spherical cup halves 708 under use. Asmentioned, there is also a flexible sealant along the exposed top edgesof the hybrid spherical cup halves 708 and the canister 706 whenassembly 700 is complete.

The combination of a vacuum being drawn at the interface of the hybridsphere 704 and the cup halves 708, and also the magnetic attractionbetween the sphere 704 and the cup halves 708, causes a greaterfrictional resistance at the interface than would occur should onlyeither vacuum or magnetic attraction be used by itself.

Hybrid canister assembly 700 mounts to the same mechanical supportstructure, interchangeably, with spherical canister body 108 of thefirst embodiment.

Operation of the Hybrid Embodiment

The electronic control function concepts that have been described forthe first embodiment are extended for use also in this hybrid system.This is to say that speech recognition, gyro/accelerometer input andoutput, timed or manual control by keypad or equivalent can be used withthis embodiment, with consideration now being given to controlling boththe vacuum system and the magnetic system concurrently. Additionally,any other control function given in the claims is contemplated. Thehuman procedures for operation are the same for this embodiment as forthe first one.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS and SCOPE Conclusion and Ramifications

In conclusion what is presented by one or more of these embodiments isan opportunity for those who desire physical training, weight loss,total body physical fitness or rehabilitation, to attain exercise goalsin a very profitable and safe new way.

Thus the reader will see that one or more of the embodiments enablessafer exercise sessions than does the use of free weights, which caneasily cause muscle and ligament strains and joint hyper-flexure, or bedropped from the grasp of the user to cause injury, or can returndangerous potential energy to the user by coming down upon him with toomuch kinetic energy to be handled when tired or can cause a fall fromloss of balance when extended to the overhead or other positions. Too,accidents involving steppers and elliptical cyclers, where hyper-flexureof the knee, or falling from the machine, even from treadmills, areeliminated.

Treadmills can cause injury by way of stumbling and falling from thebelt having slipped and balance being lost. The author has stumbledseveral times over the years at this problem occurring. And the authorknows a lady of older years who fell to the rear while using hertreadmill, becoming wedged between some furniture and the treadmill,suffering severe burns on her face and upper body by the moving beltwhich she could not distance herself from. She was in that position forseveral minutes, crying for help.

Injuries from equipment that uses weights and pulleys, such as universalgyms . . . or spring-type resistance elements, including elastic bands .. . can be severe should the user lose control of his or her handhold orfoothold during exertion. The uncontrolled bar or handles, returningpotential energy stored by the apparatus, being converted to kineticenergy, can cause bodily harm.

The embodiments are convenient to use. There is no need for spotters.There is no need for multiple sets of weights, exchanging them at timeswhen different resistances are desired. The tower assemblies 160 andspherical electromagnet canister assemblies 162 of the first embodiment,for instance, and canister assemblies 600 and 700 of the vacuum andhybrid embodiments respectively can be easily removed from the exercisearea and stored in a nearby closet, while the platform 152, lockingswivel base 156 and swing arms 158 can be slid under a couch. The secondand third embodiments likewise break down easily for storage.

The embodiments are almost infinitely versatile. The embodiments' oarsand the two connecting bars can be brought into a vast number ofdifferently oriented positions. Adding to that versatility is theability to provide an infinite array of resistances at any of the oar orcrossbar positions, that can be changed either by verbal command,automatically by way of set-up cycles or regimes in predeterminedfashion according to location or orientation in three-space, or in timedfashion, or manually as desired through a keypad.

The embodiments represent a lower cost of investment than many exercisemachine types. They are less complicated and are to be constructed ofmuch less material than for example a universal gym or cycler, whichimplies they are lighter and more portable. Lower production costs andshipping and assembly costs are greatly facilitated by this. These lowercosts are able to be passed on to the purchaser. A gym or spa forinstance could purchase several units of these embodiments for less thanthe cost of one piece of some of the other equipment on the market.

A comfortable workout experience is provided. Comfort in use isimportant for all, and especially for rehabilitative users and theelderly, more so in a hospital situation. The strictly magneticembodiments can even be used under water in therapy pools as long as thepower control module 420, with its speech processing capability, is notsubmerged.

The ability to exercise muscle groups in such highly complementaryfashion sets these embodiments apart from other types of equipment. Theworld of exercise will benefit greatly from this feature. As this isunique among today's equipment, it will lead the way toward greaterhealth and exercise achievement.

Though the embodiments have been presented here as using electromagnetsand vacuum to create a desired resistance, the ability to initiate andcontrol the contact between elements can also be achieved through use ofpermanent magnets or several other means considered further on here.

In a machine shop setting magnetic-base gauge holders are very securelyheld to a metal benchtop using permanent magnets. Flipping a small leverin one direction causes the magnetic field holding the base to the benchto become substantially zero, allowing the user to reposition the base,while flipping it in the other direction brings the magnetic fieldtransfer to a maximum, on the order of requiring 180 pounds of liftingforce to pull the base straight up from the tabletop, thus securing ittightly.

It's possible to use permanent magnets to produce the resistancenecessary for exercise. Varying the number of permanent magnets incontact with a ferromagnetic material will accomplish this, as willmechanically altering the alignment or the quantity of magnetic fieldlines being transmitted throughout a magnet or system of magnets.

Introducing a slight air gap between a magnet and one or more attractedelements is also a possibility. So that a mechanical approach withpermanent magnets to generating and controlling exercise resistance iscontemplated by the author. In addition, a combination of electromagnetsand permanent magnets is contemplated.

An exercise embodiment contemplated by the present author is that of asphere in conjunction with bicycle brake pads or pad equivalents. Anexample of the effectiveness of rubber bicycle pads in generating poweris the following:

Let a bicycle and rider with a combined weight of 200 pounds betraveling at 45 miles per hour. Assume the bicycle has handbrakes, frontand rear. Let the rider apply the brakes and stop in 200 feet in 5seconds. The amount of power generated by the brake pads can becalculated.

Using metric measure, 200 lbs=90.7 kilograms; 45 mph=66 ft/sec=20.1meters/sec; 200 ft=61.0 meters.

Power=force×distance/time, which is equal tomass×acceleration×distance/time. The bicycle goes from 45 mph to zero infive seconds, which is 20.1 meters/sec to zero in 5 sec, therefore theaverage deceleration is (0 m/s-20.1 m/s)/5 sec=−4.02 m/s/s, or −4.02m/s{circumflex over ( )}2.

The average power at the brake pads during deceleration is then seen tobe (90.7 kg)×(−4.02 m/sec{circumflex over ( )}2)×(61.0 m)/5 sec=4,448watts, neglecting the negative sign.

By definition there are 746 watts per horsepower, so the brake padsgenerate 4448/746=5.96 hp.

By contrast, a person lifting a 400 pound barbell, where the bar isresting at 1 ft above the floor, to an overhead height of 7.5 ft in 2sec generates power during one lift in the amount of: (400 lb)×(6.5ft)/2 sec=1,300 pound-feet/sec. By definition 550 lb-ft/sec=1 hp, so theweightlifter generates 1300/550 lb-ft/sec=2.36 hp.

The bicycle's brake pads in the example produce more than twice thepower of a very strong man lifting weights, and can do so continuouslyas long as there is rubber left on them. The weightlifter on the otherhand, if even able to do only a few continuous repetitions, will quicklybecome exhausted and have to quit.

The above example can be brought to use in one way by mounting a sphereon a vertical rod of arbitrary length that is anchored to a stablestructure below that can be raised or lowered as desired. Let brakepads, or their operative equivalent, be attached to an open-framedtriangulating mechanism that places the pads in negligible contact withthe sphere below its equator while the brake pad mechanism is at itsrest state. And let the mechanism be controllable so to cause the padsto move inwardly to contact the sphere with force as a user desires.

Further, let the triangulating mechanism, with the brake padsequidistant below the sphere's equator, extend upward to a common pointabove near the top-center surface of the sphere, with an oar attached tothe mechanism in vertically upward, orthogonal, orientation to thesphere.

Placing a ball bearing or other type, either stiff or soft, under themechanism's common junction at the top of the sphere, or even anotherrubber pad there, with the bearing riding on the sphere, will enable theoar to provide resistance to movement when the brake pads are broughtagainst the sphere with force. The sphere, with the oar pointingstraight upwardly will know forced contact at four points, three belowits equator and one at its north pole. The user can move the oar around,experiencing exercise resistance

Operation of the device is enhanced by the addition of a ring passingaround the sphere and fastened to the triangulating mechanism below thepads, in order to keep the pads from becoming hung up against thevertical support rod when the oar is moved through a large angle.

This embodiment, resembling the first embodiment in operation, would becapable of providing exercise, and is contemplated as a useful device bythe author.

Areas other than exercise devices can have uses for either the magneticor the vacuum approach of these embodiments. For instance aferromagnetic sphere can have a splined axle inserted through to itscenter or even running all the way through it, so that as the axle iscaused to revolve it turns the sphere at the same speed.

Should the sphere be in mated contact with at least one concavespherical surface that transmits a magnetic flux and is properlyanchored, a braking system is created. This braking system allows theaxle to be variously oriented during use, providing braking force whileundergoing changes in pitch and yaw, independent from whatever theconcave spherical surface(s) is anchored to. This is something that aplanar brake system cannot do. A hybrid arrangement, to include vacuumcapability, may increase the contact force and therefore theeffectiveness of the braking system. Of course, the braking system couldbe designed as vacuum only.

The braking system can be accomplished by way of other effects anddevices I claim. One advantage of magnetism and vacuum is that they caneach be applied from one and the same direction, not needing at leasttwo directions of application, as with, say, pneumatic cylinders thatwould have to provide a clamping function from opposite sides.

Contemplated also is that surfaces can be directly pushed togetherthrough positive gas or liquid pressure. This is true with pneumaticcylinders of both the liquid and gaseous type. Containers such asbellows or even balloons or expandable tubing are envisioned under theright design as able to be inflated to provide contact force betweenelements in much the same way as pneumatic cylinders or other fluidicmethods of applying the force to create frictional resistance betweenmated surfaces.

Of course motors and solenoids can force elements together to provide acontact force at mating surfaces, just as pneumatic cylinders can. Theyrequire a different design than either a magnetic or vacuum approach,since they provide force application from at least two generallyopposing directions, while magnetism and vacuum require only one generaldirection of application. Their frictional resistance designs arecontemplated.

Also in the mix of friction producing methods are piezoelectriccrystals. These react to electrical stimulation by expansion/contractionalong particular axes of their structure. The concept is used withelements on submarine hulls to emit sound pressure waves for sonar.Electric motors are currently made using them, as are fluid-controllingvalves and propulsion devices. Ink jet printers are based on this.“Adaptive mirrors” for the “Star Wars” missile defense system are also.

Piezoelectrics are contemplated here as able to provide frictional forcebetween contacting surfaces in causing friction to occur at theinterface of two or more elements that are forced together bypiezoelectrics caused to expand from a rest state.

The use of mechanical devices such as screws, levers, cams, wedges,springs and elastic bands are contemplated as force-generatingimplements to cause surfaces, spherical or otherwise, to be forcedtogether. Even the gravitational attraction by which weights provide adownward force can be used to generate frictional resistance, as in theway a pry bar and fulcrum can be used to amplify force in causing oneobject to be jammed against another.

Any of the means for causing mating surfaces to be forced together toproduce friction can be electrically controlled. Data transfer tocontrol mechanisms can occur in several ways to cause, for example,magnetic fields to be changed or motors or solenoids or piezoelectricelements to be activated. And vacuum pumps are typically driven byelectric motors, as pneumatic cylinders can be.

The inputs to force providers can come through gyroscopes,accelerometers, speech processors, radio transmitters, sound processorsthat read hand claps or whistling, etc, manual keypads, mechanicallyoperated switches, capacitive switches, capacitive proximity devices,infra-red activated devices, personal computers, telephone lines, cellphones, eye movement processors, brainwave processors, optical rangingand location systems, sonic ranging and positioning devices that useecho location, and directional microphone systems, etc.

It is contemplated to generate friction between smooth surfaces ofcompletely different kinds, not strictly surfaces of opposite curvature,such as concave/convex spherical or concave/convex cylindrical. As oneexample, a sphere and a planar surface will generate friction. This isseen when a spinning basketball hits the floor.

Substantially planar surfaces can be designed to work with convexspherical or cylindrical surfaces. Other combinations are possible:planar with convex elliptical, and planar together with virtually anysmooth convex surface. Going further, a portion of any smooth convexsurface with a portion of any other smooth surface, concave or convex,will generate useful friction if physical dimensions are chosenappropriately.

A concave spherical element can even be used with a convex sphericalsurface of larger radius in producing friction, as though a ball wereplaced on an upturned teacup.

And exercise in both directions of a straight line can be accomplishedalong the surface of flat bars or cylindrical rods or pipes. As oneexample, a device that resembles a Smith Machine, which is a large metalframework with four or more vertical pipes or rods that support weightedbarbells in collars that are slidably attached to the framework.

A bar, with often times heavy poundage on it, is lifted by users up anddown. This weight system, with its ever-present danger to the user, canfor the most part be eliminated, substituting a brake pad concept or amagnetic or flat surface vacuum technology in place of heavy weights.

This will allow great safety in use, since there would be far lesspotential energy stored in the bar that can convert to kinetic energy inbeing brought down on the user in runaway fashion. Plus, the devicewould offer complementary movement, both pushing and pulling.

Scope

Accordingly the scope should be determined not by the embodimentsillustrated, and not be limited to the category of exercise devices, butdetermined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Otheruses of and approaches toward the frictional contact of slidablesurfaces exist beyond the specific descriptions given. And none of theembodiments should be seen as limiting the scope of the otherembodiments or uses of or approaches toward sliding frictional contact.

Each embodiment is greatly superior to the prior art and represents aunique step forward from the types of exercise equipment otherwiseavailable. They each have aspects that are shared with the otherembodiments, both of usage, safety, convenience, versatility, resultsand general superiority to the prior art. There has never been anythinglike these in the exercise world.

I claim:
 1. A physical exercise apparatus comprising: (a) incombination, at least one element, element 1, having at least onesurface portion, surface 1, that is in forced, user controllable,frictional contact with at least one other surface portion, surface 2,of an at least one other element, element 2, where at least one of saidsurface portions, being either convex or concave or planar, is selectedfrom the group consisting substantially of a sphere and a cylinder and acone and a plane, with at least either element 1 or element 2 able to beslidably or rotatably displaced along the interface of the said at leasttwo surfaces, and (3) apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means fora user to manually convey to at least one of said elements in frictionalcontact an urging effort to slide, rotate or otherwise pass along whilein forced contact with a surface of another of said at least oneelement. (b) apparatus of claim 1 further comprising in combination, atleast elements 1 and 2 being forced together at their said surfaceportions, 1 and 2, by at least one effect or device that is selectedfrom the group consisting of magnetism and vacuum and gravitationalattraction of a weight and motors and solenoids and piezoelectricmaterials and pneumatic cylinders and gas pressure and liquid pressureand screws and springs and elastic bands and levers and cams and wedgesand equivalents of said at least one effect or device, and (5) apparatusof claim 1 further comprising means for applying or controlling saideffect or device, thus facilitating exercise.
 6. A method of exercisingthe body, comprising:
 7. (a) providing at least two elements, eachhaving at least one surface portion in friction-producing contact withat least one surface portion of at least one other of said at least twoelements, with at least one of said surface portions able to be slid orrotated or passed along a mutual interface of the said surface portionin contact with it,
 8. (b) the apparatus of claim 6 further comprisingproviding at least one of said surface portions in forced contact toeither be substantially planar or a convex or concave portion selectedfrom the group consisting of sphere and cylinder and cone,
 9. (c) theapparatus of claim 6 further comprising providing that said elementshaving said surfaces in forced contact have said surfaces held togetherduring exercise by way of at least one effect or device that is selectedfrom the group consisting of magnetism and gravitational force andvacuum and motors and solenoids and piezoelectric materials andpneumatic cylinders and gas pressure and liquid pressure and screws andsprings and elastic bands and levers and cams and wedges and equivalentsof said at least one effect or device,
 10. (d) the apparatus of claim 6further comprising inputting information used in controlling saidfriction-producing forced contact by way of a device selected from thegroup consisting of speech processor and gyroscope and accelerometer andcomputer and optical movement sensor and sound detector and brainwaveprocessor and eye movement processor and electrical switch and pressuresensitive resistor and rheostat and capacitance detector and telephoneand optical or acoustic ranging/locating system and equivalents thereof,11. (e) the apparatus of claim 6 further comprising conveying manually auser's urging to at least one said element of the at least two saidelements by way of an implement or construction selected from the groupconsisting of lever and bar and arbor and crank arm and belt andflexible member under tension and handhold and hand/foot placement zoneand foot/ankle attaching device. Whereby exercise can occur.
 12. Abodily exercise system that can operate in three dimensions and can becontrolled automatically, comprising:
 13. The exercise system of claim12 wherein at least one surface portion on each of a plurality ofelements is held in friction-generating contact with at least one otherof said surface portions while there is relative movement between them.14. The exercise system of claim 13 wherein at least one of said surfaceportions is either convex or concave or planar and is chosen from thegroup consisting of sphere and cylinder and cone and plane.
 15. Theexercise system of claim 13 wherein at least one of the said surfaceportions is held in contact with at least one other of said surfaceportions by way of an effect or device chosen from the group consistingof magnetism and vacuum and gravitational force and motors and solenoidsand pneumatic cylinders and air cylinders and liquid pressure and screwsand levers and cams and springs and elastic bands and equivalents ofsaid effect or device.
 16. The exercise system of claim 13 wherein atleast one of said surfaces of the said at least one element is caused toundergo its said relative movement by an urging device chosen from thegroup consisting of lever and bar and arbor and crank arm and flexibledevice under tension and handhold and foot or ankle attachment or zone.17. The exercise system of claim 12 wherein said automatic control isbrought about by at least one device chosen from the group consisting ofspeech processor and gyroscope and accelerometer and optical movementsensor and computer and cell phone and electrical device andequivalents.
 18. The exercise system of claim 17 wherein said speechprocessor and computer or equivalent can recognize and carry outcommands that are either factory preset or remotely issued or userdefined in order to control said friction generated at said surfaces.19. The exercise system of claim 17 wherein said gyroscope,accelerometer or optical movement sensor or equivalent tracks andreports to said computer or equivalent the amount and direction ofmovement of either said urging device or the at least one said surface.20. The exercise system of claim 17 wherein said automatic control isperformed by a computing device or equivalent that utilizes a timingprogram and/or receives and interprets data from said speech processoror gyroscope or optical movement sensor, said computing device thencontrolling said effect or device that holds said mated surfaces invarious degrees of frictional contact.